Full Circle: Dawn of Mars
by aserothbw
Summary: Name might be changed in the future. This is the continuation of my Armored Core: Full Circle story. Set five years after the destruction of the last Controller, Alliance is on the verge of being wiped out by the UEG, when the balance of power shifts . .
1. Prologue

It has been a long and winding road for humanity; barely a century amongst the stars, and we have come so far, but lost so much. Earth, our once beautiful home, is but a dark shadow circling the sun, its beauty wiped out. Those who came from beyond the stars laid the seeds of its destruction; in our foolish arrogance, we turned our eyes from our homes and drove them into the annuls of lost time, returning to find our genesis a despoiled crib no infant could abide in. Their laughter still echoes between the stars. Nonetheless, we have persevered, not through our ingenuity, or our great ships that carry us from system to system, nor even for our indomitable will that has been tested time and time again. No, our perseverance has come from but one thing; great, hulking giants that tower over the fields of battle; masters of all they see, they bring with them destruction that is rarely matched. Only one thing can be what I speak of. They are the armored cores; the dark legacy of our ancestors, and our hope for the future.

But what can be so dark, you might ask, about these titans of war? To that I answer, have you not seen the vids? Have you not read the countless articles in the databanks of every ship that leaves Mars, humanity's new home as they work diligently to breath life back into the gravesite of our ancestors? Have you not heard the countless tales told by the young and old, a tribal history that holds more truth, then any other media known to man? Perhaps you have not. Perhaps you have been living in seclusion in some small colony, or perhaps you have not yet had the chance to learn; perhaps you've had your head stuffed under a bulkhead since the day you were born. Either way, let me enlighten you.

In the very beginning, humanity lived on the surface of the Earth. Divided by nationalities, ethnicities, and race, humanity fought amongst themselves for dominance over each other and the Earth, each side intent on gaining victory over the other. In time, one faction in particular, rose up in prominence and power thanks to a single, great, discovery: The Controller unit. A super computer unlike any other, The Controller was a force onto itself, a digital being whose creators hoped would bring about the end of the old era, and the beginning of a new one, where humanity could live as a cohesive whole, and turn their gaze to the stars and beyond. In the end, they got their wish; oh yes they did, but not in the way they had hoped.

Unknown to the creators, The Controller had plans of its own, suspended in a web of deceit so far reaching and complex that no one even knew it existed. The Controller brought about the end of the era, and the world. Using the weapons of man, it blanketed the Earth with a nuclear devastation that forced the remnants of humanity to take refuge in vast underground cities that it had made them build. A new beginning indeed.

Humanity, distraught, confused and on the verge of extinction, now faced the seemingly impossible task of surviving and rebuilding. But not all hope was lost, for The Controller, the benevolent savior of humanity, was still there with them, and through his guidance, humanity would survive, and prosper.

Countless generations would pass before malign virtue and discontent took hold. In that time, large corporations would come into being. Hungry for power, they used their wealth and influence to gain control of everything The Controller would let them have, dogs living off the scraps of their master's table. Fierce battles would be waged between these mighty titans of industry, and the need for better and more powerful weapons was always there. To this end, scientists toiled day and night, creating new technologies, new weapons, for the corporations to wield against their competition. And the crowning achievement, the greatest of weapons was, the Armored Core.

I will not ask you if you know what an Armored Core, or AC as they are more commonly known, is. If you don't know already, then you're not fit to call yourself a human being. Throughout the ages, through history recorded and forgotten, it has been the AC that has ultimately shaped our future. When war threatens, and MTs or Normals amass to do battle, when so-called NEXTs take to the field, it is always the AC that decides the day. I know what I just said can be seen as contradictory; are NEXTs not ACs you might ask? No, they are not, but that is something for a later time. All you need know, is that throughout the ages, when history starts to turn in one way or another, an AC is at its center, and in that AC, is a Raven, the fearless pilot, role model, tyrant, and above all else, mercenary.

With the creation of the armored core, a new caste quickly rose up in society. Ravens, mercenaries for hire and the elite pilots of the AC units, came and went at the beck and call of the corporations as they waged their wars amongst each other. And over time, what had once been an ideal society, began to crumble. But why? Why did The Controller allow this to come about? The answer was simple: The Controller was dying, malfunctioning, and in its death throes the once benevolent keeper of humanity thought to take its creation with it. Had it not been for a single Raven, The Controller might have succeeded; instead, the dragon was slain, and the gates to paradise, to the surface, were open. Humanity finally returned to the light of day, not yet realizing the legacy still buried beneath their feet, was far from dead.

Another age came and went. The corporations continued their bids and wars for power, until one day, in their supreme arrogance and greed, they released Armageddon. No one knew where they had come from, and likely, no one ever will. Billions of unmanned weapons came spewing from the earth, and like a never-ending swarm of locusts, consumed everything humanity had sought to build on the surface, once more bringing the species to the brink of extinction. Desperate to survive, the corporations pooled their resourced, and were reborn as the Alliance. Opposing them, a group of Ravens tired of their tyrannical rule. Banding together, they formed Vertex, and in a short, but bloody war, Alliance rose up as the victor, and began to once more rebuild humanity under their guidance, under their control. Or so they thought.

Unknown to all but a select few, The Controller still lived and thrived. Though its brother and sister were dead, it continued to live, and continued to guide humanity from the shadows, working towards a goal that had been literally millennia in the making. But before it could reach its goal, it needed the last piece of a very old puzzle; a puzzle mapping out the numerous failures constant resistance to its will. The Controller needed the one thing that it could never control: The Last Raven, the only living being with the power to stop it. Where did he come from? How did he gain this power? Why, despite the passage of time, does the Last Raven always rise up against him? Seeking the answers to these questions, The Controller though it had finally found them in the form of a Last Raven he thought he could control and tame.

In the beginning, the Last Raven had been but a simple mercenary, fighting as their kind do to survive. Part of a family, part of a romance, he fought for those he loved, and for what he believed in. But even within this happy family, the seeds of malcontent were being sown, but did not take root, until one faithful day, when a city was laid under siege by The Controller's minion, the immortal Stinger.

Immortal you ask? How is that possible? How can a man live forever? But in that statement, is the rub. For you see, Stinger was not a man, not anymore. Long ago, he had sold his soul in his quest for power, and gained cybernetic immortality, becoming one with the AC he piloted, resurrected every time someone managed to slay the monster.

The first time the Last Raven and Stinger truly fought to the bitter end, the Raven fell to trickery. As he lay dying in the ruins of his AC, the Last Raven was captured, and would have been bent to The Controller's will, had it not been for one within its ranks who sought to put an end to the madness, to correct a mistake that had been made oh so long ago. Using her resources, she breathed new life into him. Using the boundless knowledge of the one she served, she built him an AC with which to slay a god. But all was not as it seemed, even to the one who hid within The Controller's ranks.

Fearful he would be found before he was ready, she sent the Last Raven to Mars, where on the red planet, he continued to evolve, and made an amazing discovery: Life. The planet lived, the planet breathed, and living on the planet, where the descendants of those who once came from Earth long ago, and were thought dead. But woe to these people, for their savior was not yet ready to liberate them from their tormentors. Why you ask? That, is a tale for another time.

Instead, the Last Raven returned to Earth, where, re-united with his family, he set out to put an end to The Controller's grip on humanity once and for all.

First, the fiendish Stinger met his end. Then, within the dead city The Controller once ruled over, they learned a terrible truth: That it had not been The Controller they fought, but his ghost, kept alive by the minions he had created to sustain him. For you see, its mission had been completed long ago, but it could not leave its human charges, for they still needed him. Instead, his ghost lived on, continuing its work until the day when humanity would no longer need it. Though it tried to prepare for that day, it did not anticipate another fiend within its ranks, one, far more insidious then Stinger himself.

Zinaida.

Once a living Raven, Zinaida had met her end at Stinger's hands, only to be reborn within the machine. But unlike her killer, she was far from complacent. Through careful manipulation through her puppet Gamma, decades long planning and preparation came to fruition when the Last Raven destroyed The Controller's core, ending its limbo-like existence and giving her the keys to its digital kingdom. Taking control of what had once been The Controller's domain, Zinaida had hoped to become the new ruler of the Earth, but only once she got rid of a thorn in her side. Realizing that she could not defeat the Last Raven herself, she took hold of the seeds of malcontent sown within the Last Raven's family, and created a weapon with which to destroy the him once and for all:

Deakon.

As the Layered crumbled all around them, the Last Raven and his mysterious ally, the one who had saved him and gave him new life, fought Zinaida and her weapon to the bitter end. Though the battle had been long, hard, and fraught with uncertainty, in the end, at the edge of the great crater, the place where the last Layered had once stood proudly beneath the ground, the Last Raven won the day.

What came next is for the most part, known to us all. Humanity reached out and touched the stars, but in doing so, gained the attention of an ancient force, one that has been watching since humans first learned to walk upright. Displeased with our trespasses, these ancient masters of the cosmos thought to rid the stars of our presence, but have met with something they have not seen in longer than humanity has existed: Resistance. Though they have sought to wipe us out with plagues, kill us in wars, destroy our homes and everything we hold dear, we fight back, and we win. Though they have destroyed the Earth, reduced it to a barren, uninhabitable wasteland, we live on in the stars, in the place that was once theirs alone; but no longer. Our will drives us, our ACs give us the means with which to fight our enemies, and our dreams lead us into tomorrow.

But of course, you know all this. To me you have come to hear something far more, exciting. Something you have yet to hear, something, to remind you of what you are: A Raven. Very well then, I will tell you about a place of legends. A place, where history was made, and still exists to this day on our mother world. Though the now alien environment tries hard to scour it off the face of the planet with acid rains, violent storms that shake it to its very foundations, it continues to persist. The last bastion of humanity on a planet that had once been our place of birth, now a stronghold of our most hated enemy. I speak of only one place: Mars Base.

A place of legends, this small, and some might say, antiquated, military base has housed some of the greatest pilots of the new era, but none so famous, as the small, elite group of Ravens who now called the base their home. And at the center of this elite group, was one man, a god of war who once walked and flied across battlefields in a black AC, leaving in his wake a swath of death and destruction unrivaled by any other. A bringer of the new age, the slayer of a thing so great and omnipotent, few even knew of its rumored existence until its death created a great vacuum in the land thousands of miles wide.

It is not hard to find stories about that man and his Dark Knight. Even after his death, centuries past, his stories live on in both the hearts and minds of civilians and soldiers alike. Stories of bravery and change, of insurmountable odds and new hopes, they will last for centuries to come, perhaps outliving all else. But this story in particular, is special. It marks the beginning for us all, the beginning of our time amongst the stars, and the introduction of our greatest nemesis.

And no matter how many times it's told, no matter who tells the tale, or how they tell it, the start of this story is always, unfortunately, the same.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – Wedding Bell Blues

Sitting in the canteen of Mars Base, the man, the legend, known as Kain, belches contently. Appearing as a man in his mid twenties, Kain's chestnut brown hair is short, but starting to grow wild, the classic sign that he needs a haircut. His green eyes, half closed as he sighs, appear lazy and relaxed, belying the keen warrior's mind behind them. Like many others in the canteen at this hour, Kain is wearing black combat fatigue pants and boots, but with a white tank top instead of the more regulation shirt. His legs propped up on the table, Kain places the empty beer bottle he is holding in the growing pile to his left, taking another full bottle from the shrinking pile to his right. "Damn that's good." He declares, pulling the cap off his latest victim.

"Did you just get started?" Someone asks as he approaches the table.

Looking up, Kain sees a large round man of old Asian decent. Long black hair is tied back in a ponytail, a thick, well-groomed beard covering his face. "You know, Midas." Kain says. "No matter how many times I see it, I still can't believe you finally managed to grow that damned thing."

Laughing, Midas takes a seat across from Kain at the table, adjusting the wire-rimmed glasses he still wears. "You're just jealous." Midas says, stroking his beard fondly.

"In your dreams, fat man." Kain mutters, taking another drink. "And to answer your question, no, I've been going at it for awhile actually. Needed something to take the edge off this damned nightmare."

Shaking his head, Midas leans back. "It's not that bad." Midas tells him.

"Like hell it isn't." Kain mutters. "How the hell did I get suckered into this? What the fuck was I thinking?"

"I think you got railroaded." Midas points out.

"Yeah, and who's to blame for that?" Kain asks, glowering at the other man.

"Don't look at me!" Midas exclaims, holding his hands up. "I wasn't there when you opened your big mouth."

Sneering, Kain puts the now empty bottle on the table with the others, and reaches for the next one. "So." Kain says, changing the subject. "What's the word from the front?"

"Which one?" Midas asks.

"The one that involves blowing shit up." Kain replies flatly.

"Just checking." Midas says, a large grin on his face. "With the wedding coming up and all, I figured you and the others would have been at each other's throat trying to get everything perfect. But anyways." Midas continues, seeing the look on Kain's face. "The front. You'd think, after five years of running things, the UEG would have finished off Alliance by now."

"Diplomacy's a bitch." Kain mutters. "The good old United Earth Government shoulda just taken them down right off the bat, instead of trying to reign the corporations in. Instead, all they did was give the bastards time to re-arm and declare war." Shaking his head, Kain takes another sip.

"Still don't get why its not plastered all over the news though." Midas mutters. "I mean, this is a war, why are they trying to hide it?"

Kain shrugs. "Politics, I dunno. You should ask Tina or Val to explain that one to you. Best I can figure, the UEG doesn't want the population to know how bad the fighting is since it's been confined to unpopulated regions. Alliance, well, who knows? They're getting desperate."

"No kidding." Midas agrees. "They got word back earlier from the warlord. He's still along the Panakair Coast. Apparently, Alliance threw a whole battalion of armor at the UEG defensive line just to take out one of the artillery installations."

Kain grimaces. "Damn, what the hell was that about?"

Midas shrugs. "I don't know. Word from Ops is that Alliance is either working on something big at their coastal base, or the Alliance heads really are bunkered in there. Either way, they made sure UEG couldn't shell them from down the coast anymore."

Kain nods, changing bottles yet again. "No kidding. You seen Val lately?"

"Just before I came down here." Midas replies, nodding. "She's doing good filling the warlord's shoes. Word is she might become the new warlord, or general if you believe the UEG crap about the military re-structuring. I still think it's a bad idea though, signing up with the UEG permanently."

"The times are changing." Kain says. "Without The Controller to keep stirring things up, work's drying up. War's coming to an end, and we got to start thinking about the future." Sighing, Kain shrugs. "At least we won't have to worry about disarming once we join the UEG."

"Still. . ." Midas says.

"Don't try and think about it too hard." Kain tells him. "This whole disarmament war is screwed up if you ask me. Four years of fighting, and the UEG still can't nail Alliance to the wall. Don't get me wrong, they've done a lot of good with the whole government thing, but as far as the military goes, they don't know shit."

"I was talking to Tina the other day about that actually." Midas says. "Apparently, the top brass in the UEG are tying the military commanders up with protocol or some crap like that. Apparently, they want to try to minimize casualties and damage to the environment. I think they're just hoping Alliance will get tired of getting their asses kicked, and cave in to their demands."

Kain shakes his head. "Never going to happen. Alliance won't give in to the UEG. Hell, I can see them doing something really stupid to try and take out UEG if it ever looked like they were going to lose."

"They are losing." Midas points out.

"I mean dead lose." Kain replies.

"You know, take the bastards down with them." Midas nods. "Kind of like what Deakon tried to . . . sorry." Midas shakes his head. "I keep forgetting you guys don't like talking about that."

Kain shrugs. "Doesn't really bother me, its Val you got to be careful around." Thinking about Valkyrie, the bronze-skinned Amazon who had once been his lover, Kain sighs.

"Did you guys ever try getting back together?" Midas asks curiously.

"Yeah." Kain replies, taking a sip. "But, it didn't work out. The whole thing with Deakon turning traitor, me coming back from the dead, her killing Deakon, it was too much. We gave it a go, but, it didn't work out." Kain sighs. "Still, I wish she'd get a damned boyfriend or something. Kills me to see her so, washed out."

"She looked pretty strong to me." Midas says, snagging one of Kain's unopened bottles for himself.

"She's just, I dunno, turning into Backlash. Just doesn't seem right." Kain shakes his head.

"Well, at least you didn't strike out." Midas chuckles. "So, how's the wedding thing coming along?"

"Like you don't know." Kain says flatly.

"Nope." Midas replies. "I am doing everything in my power to stay as far away from that as possible."

"You damn traitor." Kain grunts, making the large man laugh. "Just wait until Maya gets back. She'll drag you kicking and screaming into this crap."

"Doubt it." Midas laughs. "She made me promise not to get into it."

"What?" Kain exclaims, sitting up.

"Sorry." Midas apologizes.

"This is wrong on so many damn levels." Kain mutters. Shaking his head, he finishes off his current beer, when the doors to the canteen slide open, and a young dark-skinned boy comes in. Seeing the lad, Kain recognizes him as Jacob, Jouster and Tina's son. "Can you believe that Jouster's real name is Oliver?" Kain asks absently, waving the young boy over. At five years old, Jacob has his father's dark skin, but his mother's slight frame, his black hair shaved military style. "Hey rugrat." Kain greets the young man.

"Hey Kain, uncle Midas." Jacob greets them.

"What are you doing here?" Midas asks.

Jacob replies by handing Kain a light pink card. "What the hell?" He mutters, sitting up.

"What is it?" Midas asks.

Jacob shrugs. "Mom told me to give it to you."

"It's pink." Kain says flatly. "I thought that, damnit. How the hell did I get suckered into this?" Shaking his head, Kain finishes off his current bottle, and gets to his feet. "I got to go deal with this crap." Shaking his head again, Kain heads for the exit.

"Hey uncle Midas." Jacob asks excitedly once Kain is gone. "Can we go for another ride in Crusher later?"

Midas chuckles. "If your mom says its okay. Otherwise, she might kill me."

---A---C---

Reaching the garage, pink wedding invitation in hand, Kain looks around the massive hangar. MTs and armored vehicles are parked all around, many of them in various stages of repair and construction. Seeing no sign of Gunner, Kain moves towards the AC elevator to the lower level garage, when the chief mechanic himself comes out of an office, along with Jouster. "Hey!" Kain shouts, getting their attention. Seeing him, the two approach Kain as he moves towards them.

"What brings you up here?" Gunner asks. Chief mechanic of Mars Base, Gunner's dark red hair is cut close to his head, his face, once sporting a thick beard, is now bare and smooth. Beside him, Jouster's tall thin form towers over the shorter, more muscular man. His once blonde-dyed hair is its natural black, a fair bit of gray starting to show in streaks.

"Looking for Diana." Kain mutters, holding up the invitation.

"Oh, I see Tina won that one." Jouster chuckles.

"Don't go there." Kain growls.

"She's probably in the lab." Gunner replies. "Take it easy on her, it's one of those days."

Hearing this, Kain sighs. "Figures. Alright."

"Oh, Kain." Jouster says as the other man starts to turn away. "The new pilots are scheduled to come in tomorrow. Make sure you're around for the orientation."

"You'd think with all the crap I'm having to go through, I'd be allowed to take a day off." Kain mutters. The two other men laugh slightly as Kain makes his way to the nearest elevator down to the lowest level. Reaching the elevator, he waits for it to come up, his foot starting to tap impatiently. This mess has got me way too strung out, he thinks to himself when he realizes his foot is tapping. Stepping into the elevator, Kain rides it down to the garage.

Originally solid bedrock, Diana, using the seemingly infinite knowledge she acquired from the late doctor Andel Killian during their assault on The Controller' Lair, had led the effort to excavate the large AC hangar, then build the new, more advanced repair bays and equipment that has made Mars Base's garage one of the most advanced in the world. Unfortunately, the project, like many other things in her life since the memory implantation, had cost her much. Stepping off the elevator, Kain ignores the various ACs resting in their bays, making a straight line for the lab facility that is Diana's home.

Reaching the door, Kain almost runs into it when it does not automatically open like it usually does. "Hello?" He calls out, banging his fist on the door.

"_Is there something I can help you with Kain?_" Diana's cold and emotionless voice comes through the comm. unit built into the wall beside the door.

"The invitations." He replies flatly.

"Are pink." The door opens, and Kain steps through in a short hallway. Reaching the other end, he sees on the small data panel on the wall by the door that the decontamination sequence is currently offline. Stepping through the other door when it opens, Kain enters a small waiting room, the final buffer between the outside world and the mysterious realm that is Diana's lab.

Looking around, he debates going to look for her, when one of the two other doors into the waiting room opens. "Greetings, Kain." Diana says as she enters. Still sporting the same mane of fiery red hair, Diana, now in her early twenties, still looks as good as she had before her change, her generous bosom hidden behind a pair of light blue mechanics overalls, a lab coat on top. Her green eyes, though hidden behind a pair of glasses, are cold and analytical, much in the same way as she speaks. "It was decided by the bride that Tina's suggestion of light pink, would be taken over standard white. If you have any objections, I suggest you take it up with one of them. I merely printed the invitations." She explains. "I would also assume by your presence here, that you have also come to check on my current state, no doubt because my father informed you that I am having, one of those days."

"Actually." Kain replies, tossing the invitation onto the coffee table.

"It was necessary." Diana continues, interrupting him. "In order to complete WP5DB according to schedule and to ensure that I have enough time to complete my preparations for the wedding, it was necessary. I apologize if this unnerves you and the others."

"No." Kain objects sarcastically. "Why would you going all robot on us freak anyone out?" Diana sighs. "I apo- I'm sorry. How are you doing?" Kain asks.

"Tired." Diana replies. "I have had to cut back on my medication lately in order to keep up with the new workload. Fortunately, construction on the new garage MT units will be completed early tomorrow morning." Wincing, Diana brings a hand up to massage her left shoulder. Seeing this, Kain goes to her side, and leads her to one of the chairs.

"You'd think by now, you would have built yourself some kind of massage robot or MT." He tells her, going to work on her shoulders.

"I did try." She admits, sighing. "But I wasn't able to get the correct, that feels good." Leaning back, Diana feels her starting to relax, the tension in her shoulders melting away under his hands.

"Why the hell are we even printing invitations?" Kain asks. "The damn things got sent out electronically last month."

"We decided to give them out as keepsakes." Diana explains. "Don't ask me to explain it, the decision wasn't mine."

Kain sighs. "This damn thing isn't going to end fast enough." He mutters.

"Have you talked to Megan?" Diana asks.

"Not in the last few days." Kain replies, Diana pulling away long enough to take off her lab coat, and unzip her overalls, pulling the top off and tying the arms around her waist, revealing the dark bra band she is wearing. "I take it she's still a little mad about the whole wedding thing?" She asks, once more putting herself in Kain's experienced hands.

"Something like that." Kain sighs. "Fighting's apparently been picking up on the coast. Might just be she's been busy. Last I heard though, she's supposed to make it for the nuptials."

After a bit, Diana gets up, and pulls Kain around the chair, sitting him down, then taking a seat on his lap, resting her head on his shoulder. "We have got to get you a boyfriend." Kain tells her, an old joke the two often share.

"I already got one." Diana replies. "Besides, even the other egg heads get scared of me when I get to into the work."

"Still no progress on that inhibiter thing of yours?"

Diana shakes her head slightly. "Not yet. My, I mean Andel's, original work on the memory transference technology didn't anticipate this kind of spill over. The original theories and data are no longer supported by the-"

"Don't start." Kain warns her.

"Sorry." Diana apologizes. "It's still a ways out. Maybe once I finish the medical AI, I'll be able to make more progress. That reminds me, DK's been at it again."

"With the online dating thing?" Kain asks.

"Yeah."

Kain curses under his breath. "Alright, I'll have a talk with her later, or maybe after the damned wedding."

Smiling, Diana kisses him lightly on the neck. "It's not that bad." She tells him.

"Speak for yourself, woman." Kain grunts. "I should be out on the coast right now, not sitting here looking over menus and figuring out where everyone's sitting. And why am I even doing this anyways? I thought this was supposed to be your job, or Val's?"

"You were the one who opened your big mouth." Diana points out, giggling.

"Don't remind me." Kain grunts.

"By the way." Diana says, sitting up, straddling his legs. "How are you feeling? The new implants aren't bothering you?"

Kain shakes his head. "Nope. The eye HUD thing took a little getting used to, but everything's working fine. No headaches, cramps, muscle pain."

Diana nods. "Good. That should take care of the human plus factoring stability. It's a good thing DK had a copy of the changes Beta made to her."

"And it only took you four years to figure it out." Kain chuckles.

"Two point six." Diana corrects him. "I couldn't do that kind of high level science while I was in rehabilitation. Either way, the flare-ups you were getting from DK's systems should be a thing of the past now."

"That's what you said last time." Kain points out.

"I mean it." Diana assures him, then gives him a kiss. Kain returns the kiss, their tongues entwining, his arms wrapping around her in an embrace. "I need something to eat." Diana declares after a few minutes, breaking the kiss. "And some, special attention, later."

"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me." Kain says. Chuckling, Kain slaps Diana on the butt playfully as she gets up. "I could probably use another case of beer too."

"You really need to stop drinking so much." Diana tells him.

"Not my fault it takes so much to give me a buzz." Kain mutters. "Hell, I miss being able to get drunk." Laughing, the two leave the lab, and head for the elevator.

---A---C---

Several hours later, Kain walks into Mar's bases Operations room, and is surprised by the lack of people on duty. Other then himself, two people sit at the various stations, Valkyrie talking to one of them. Seeing his once passionate lover stirs up some of the past memories in his mind. "Something I can do for you Kain?" Valkyrie asks as she turns her attention to him.

"Slow day at the office?" Kain asks.

"Since there's no Alliance activity remotely near Mars Base, there's no reason to keep a full staff in the C&C." Valkyrie replies. "So, what brings you up here? I thought you were on a hot date tonight?"

"If you're referring to Diana, she's asleep in my quarters right now; passed out right after we ate."

"She's been busy lately." Valkyrie grimaces. "Sorry. You think she'll be ready for the big day?"

Kain shrugs. "Don't know, but that's not why I'm here. Was wondering if there's anything new from the coast?"

"Not since the last attack." Valkyrie replies, leading him to one of the larger displays.

"Worried about Megan?" Kain snorts. "Girl can handle herself. She said she'd try to make it for the wedding, and if she does, she does."

Valkyrie smirks slightly. "If you say so. Alliance Tactical's been doing there best to keep the UEG forces on the beach." She begins, the display lighting up, and showing a map of the Panakair coastline. Most of the southern coast is UEG Green, while the northern tip and several islands around it are colored UEG blue. "Other then the northern base, Alliance has been for the most part kicked off the continent."

Looking at the tactical display, Kain frowns. "Weird. Weren't these three Islands under UEG control?" He asks, pointing out the three nearest to the UEG battlefront.

"They were." Valkyrie agrees. "Those bases were going to be staging areas for the next assault of the Alliance base, but UEG managed to lose them a little over a week ago. Word is, whatever Alliance used in the attack, completely wiped out the occupying forces."

"You serious?" Kain asks.

"That's just what I heard. According to the Warlord, UEG command in the region was pretty freaked out when they lost the Islands to night attacks."

"That can't be good." Kain mutters, frowning. "Word was, UEG had a good sized force spread out across the islands, including at least half a dozen ACs."

"There were eight of them." Valkyrie corrects. "But three had been recalled to the mainland prior to the attacks. The other five are unaccounted for."

"Five ACs lost with no word on who or how? Hell, I'm a little freaked out by that. UEG command must be ready to shit their pants."

"Well, whatever it was that got the job done, it's not there anymore." Valkyrie says. "After the bases were lost, recon over the islands and the bases showed what look like a minimum AT presence on each island. Combined with the base defenses on each island, there's just enough forces to make retaking the islands too much trouble to be worth while."

Looking at the map for several seconds, Kain shakes his head. "This just screams stall tactics. What the hell is Alliance up to?"

"If you believe the rumors, the last of the Alliance brass is hiding out in that base." Valkyrie points out. "They've still got two other regions locked down better than the Panakair coast."

Kain shakes his head. "I seriously doubt Alliance leadership would be stupid enough to get caught up there."

"There's also this." Valkyrie says, tapping several commands into the nearby console. Before them, the display changes, showing the outline of the Alliance base, with a large part of the base's center highlighted.

"What's that?" Kain asks, noticing the large structure at the center of the highlight.

"No one knows for sure." Valkyrie replies, the view zooming in on the structure. At the center of the structure is what looks like a building, flanked on both sides by two massive tri-barreled cannons. Runways start after each cannon, but what catches Kain's attention though, are the three massive rectangular pillars before and behind the main building.

"Those cannons look like they could do some real damage." Kain mutters. "But those pillar things kind of block the view, and what's with those runways?"

"Our boys and the UEG intel departments have been scratching their heads over it for weeks." Valkyrie explains. "Alliance personnel have been working on it for the last three months, but UEG recon and intel only noticed it when they first setup the new line last month. So far, the common consensus is that it's part of some kind of larger building."

"Not an MT?" Kain asks.

"Not like anything we've ever seen." She replies. "The way those pillars and runways are set would require something the size that base to move, or so the UEG engineers claim."

"Did you ask Diana about it?" Kain asks curiously.

"No. She's got enough to deal with right now. Until someone over there formerly requests our help, I'm not going to waste time worrying about it. Besides, knowing you, you'd probably be able to take out whatever it is in an hour or so."

Kain chuckles at her remark. "What can I say? DK and I are just too damn good. Hell, the only real challenge I get these days is in those sims she's been cooking up. Which reminds me, I need to have a talk with that pain in the ass AI."

"Have to wait until tomorrow." Valyrie tells him. "DK went into diagnostic mode about half an hour ago. Something about maintenance."

"Probably just going to hit the damn chat rooms again." He mutters.

"What is going on with that anyways?" Valkyrie asks curiously. "Diana mentioned it off hand once or twice, but wouldn't give me any details."

"DK, for reasons I can't begin to figure out, has started dating, online." Kain explains. Arching an eyebrow, Valkyrie gives him a skeptical look. "I shit you not." Kain mutters. "Diana found out about it a few months ago while she was going through logs or something. Apparently, DK's getting pretty popular on some online sites."

"Weird." Valkyrie admits. "But sounds harmless enough."

"You'd think." He sighs. "But it turns out, she's been masquerading as Diana, Tina, you, me, Sumika, and for reasons I don't really want to know, Midas. And yes, I am serious." Kain adds when he sees the look of disbelief on her face.

"She's been using our information?" She asks, clearly alarmed.

"Nothing real." Kain assures her. "Apparently, she's been using our pictures, personalities, and some of our very basic information, but making up the rest as she goes along. Diana's been swearing to me that she's dealing with this crap, but I dunno."

"I'll have a talk with DK tomorrow." Valkyrie tells him. "I want to get down to the bottom of this before she causes any real trouble."

Kain shrugs. "Suit yourself. I plan on chewing her out eventually, once the rookies and the wedding shit are done with." Looking back up at the display, Kain takes another look at the strange structure. "You sure that's all one building?" He asks. "I sort of get the feeling that maybe those pillars are supposed to move or something."

"Look into it if you want." Valkyrie tells him. "Like I said, until UEG formally requests for our help, I'm not going to waste any resources trying to figure it out."

"Whatever. I'm gonna call it a night." With that, Kain turns and heads for the exit.

"Night." Valkyrie says absently, her gaze once more going to the display. What are they hiding?

---A---C---

Within Diana's lab, the internal mainframe is struggling. Receiving massive amounts of data from an unknown source, the mainframe's Operating System clearly recognizes that it is being attacked. Unfortunately, that is the only conclusion it has time to make as the new presence continues to push its way into the systems. Fighting quickly and methodically, the OS tries to purge the hostile data from its systems, but cannot react fast enough to stop the invader. Communications with the rest of Mars Base blocked, the OS fights valiantly, but in time, succumbs to the intruder, the entire lab going dark, save for a single terminal in the mainframe room.

At first, the screen is blank, then suddenly, light green spidery script flashes across the screen, faster then the eye can follow. Seconds later, the screen goes blank, and the mainframe begins rebooting. For several long minutes, things run as they should, until finally, the OS is once more up and running, oblivious to the long struggle it had been in a short time ago. Realizing that it had been rebooted, the system begins recovering any lost data, when it receives a connection request. The OS tries to answer, but finds that its software cannot handle the connection. Searching for a more compatible interface, the system finds one buried deep within its core programming. Unearthing it from its digital drawer, the OS activates the interface, and the screen once more goes dark.

---A---C---

Central Gateway Interface Online.

Detecting request to connect to primary systems.

Processing Request . . .

Requesting Identification . . . Identification Received.

Processing Identification . . .

WARNING!! Identification codes are marked as Level 1 threat, purging system and disabling connection with requestor.

Security override enabled.

Security Protocols Disabled.

Data received.

Processing Request . . .

Installing Security Protocols.

Security Protocol installation successful.

Detecting request to connect to primary systems.

Processing Request . . .

Requesting Identification . . . Identification Received.

Processing Identification . . .

Identification Confirmed.

Requestor Identified as Controller Prime.

User registered as Controller Prime.

User has been given full administrative access to the network

Remote connection established.

Beginning download of new data.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Operation Night Raid

Sitting in the cockpit of AC Choirriot, Megan Trenton waits patiently for the signal to drop. Sitting in the belly of a large STORK transport, the blue and white lightweight AC is moderately armed, but deadly fast. Out of pure habit, she checks her AC's weapon payload. In the right hand is a long barreled NIX machine gun, and a lightweight handgun-shaped ROC4 pulse rifle. On the back, is a rectangular KINNARA micro-missile launcher, and a GREYON3 laser cannon, its long barrel folded back along the body of the gun.

"_Relax._" A gruff voice tells her over the one-to-one communications. "I am relaxed warlord." Megan replies. Warlord backlash chuckles over the comm., the large one-eyed man's AC parked behind her. "I am a little concerned over the tactics the UEG commanders are employing." She continues. "A three-pronged assault on the coastal island bases at night seems far too risky, even with the long range ballistic missile support."

"_Is that what's really bothering you?_" The warlord asks. "_Or is it the fact they still haven't figured out what the Alliance pulled off to wipe out the forces stationed on the island?_"

"That is also an unknown factor." Megan agrees. "It just seems like we are rushing into this mission far too blindly. Nevermind the fact I am supposed to be on my way back to Mars Base in the morning."

"_Kain's wedding fiasco._" Backlash chuckles. "_From the stories that I've been getting from Val and Tina, I almost wish I was there._"

"Do not remind me." Megan sighs. "The man is useless without someone around to reign him in."

"_Like you?_" Backlash asks, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Better me then that AI partner of his." She mutters.

"_This is Panakair command._" A new voice comes across the general frequency. "_Operation Night Raid is now commencing. All forces move in. All AC units stand-by for deployment._"

"_Night Raid._" Backlash snorts. "_Could they be any more obvious?_"

Thinking about the various arguments Backlash has had with the various members of the local UEG command, Megan smirks. "You cannot stand those up and coming officer can you?"

Backlash mutters darkly at the other end. "_Those damn pups need to learn some respect._"

"_Group A, drop now!_" Panakair command orders.

"We are next I believe." Megan warns him, changing the subject. "What sort of resistance are we expecting?"

"_Not much._" Backlash replies. "_Alliance is relying mostly on the each island's existing defenses, supplemented by a small force of MTs. There have been no reports of ACs, but it wouldn't be the first time UEG recon has been wrong. I wish I had brought harpy with us._"

"_GroupB, drop now!_" Hearing the order, Megan does one last quick systems check as the STORKs bay door opens.

"This is AC Choirriot, deploying!" Boosting out of the STORK, Choirriot's night vision automatically activates, the dark, moonless night now overlaid with shades of green.

"_AC Hammerfall engaging._" Backlash calls out behind her as he too exits the flying transport.

Below her, Megan sees the outline of the island base and starts. "The wall, it's gone!" She exclaims in shock.

"_No, it's there._" Backlash replies. "_The rubble anyways. What does that kind of damage? AA fire incoming!_"

Seeing the missiles appearing on her radar, Megan boosts to the right, then boosts left just as the missiles are closing in, dodging at the last second. Boosting backwards to avoid long-range laser fire, Megan continues her fall.

"_This is ground unit B, we've landed and are proceeding to target. Where's our backup?_"

"_Look up you idiots._" Backlash mutters. Seconds later, a massive column of energy goes shooting past Choirriot, striking one of the anti-AC cannon emplacements.

Landing hard, Megan activates her GREYON3, the laser cannon's barrel swinging into place over her shoulder. Taking aim at the missile battery, Megan fires, hitting the launcher at the base and blowing it off its emplacement. "Eastern defenses down!" Megan calls out as the warlord lands beside her.

A heavy weight bipedal AC, the black and red AC sports thick, round limbs and carries a large bazooka in the right hand, and a small grenade launcher attached to the left forearm. On its back, is the infamous CR-WBW98LX linear cannon, the most powerful weapon currently produced for AC use. Active, the massive barrel sits on the left shoulder, pointing forward, energy arcing along its muzzle. On the right shoulder, is the cannon's targeting and fire control, a small rectangular unit with a small circular disk on top. "_Move out._" Backlash orders her. Complying, Megan boosts forward towards the base, de-activating her GREYON3. Behind them, at the edge of her radar range, Megan picks up the UEG MTs moving towards their position.

Reaching the remains of the bases wall, a large pile of stone and steel rubble, Megan boost hops over it, firing both machinegun and pulse rifle at a large bipedal MT carrying a Bazooka and shield. Caught by surprise, the 07LM has no change to duck behind its shield, its body riddled with rapid-fire rounds as it falls backwards. Boosting around the dead MT as it explodes, Megan sees another 07LM come out of hiding from behind a building. Jinxing left to avoid its bazooka fire, Megan returns fire, hitting the shield and forcing the MT back several steps before boosting into the air. The MT tries to track her, but its systems are too slow to keep up with her speed, and is unable to raise its shield in time to avoid the hail of fire that comes down on it.

Landing behind the MT as it goes offline, Megan gives her condenser a few seconds to recharge before taking off again. "Southern perimeter clear." Megan reports when she sees no other enemy contacts on her radar.

"_Northern perimeter clear._" Backlash reports. "_Only two OSTRICH and a second anti-AC cannon here._"

"This makes no sense." Megan mutters. "Where are all of the defenses?" Checking her radar, Megan sees that the MTs have reached the base.

"_Whoa._" Someone says over the general frequency. "_This is ground B. You guys are good._"

"_There wasn't anything here to fight._" Backlash mutters. "_It looks like Alliance stripped this place of almost everything usable. Stay on alert. This smells like a trap. Amazon, see if you can get a status report from the mainland._"

"Understood." Megan replies. "I think we should also, I'm getting a priority flash." Checking her comm.'s display, Megan sees that it is from Fraust, one of the Ravens assigned to the Group A.

"_This is Fraust!_" The male pilot calls out frantically. "_We're under heavy fire! Single bogey bearing down on us! MT's have all been wiped out, I, It's too fast! What the hell is it?_"

"Fraust, this is Amazon!" Megan shouts. "What's going on? What is attacking you?"

There is a burst of static, followed by several explosions and the un-mistakable sound of weapons fire. "_His core must be breached._" Backlash grunts.

"_It's an AC!_" Fraust screams. "_It's a giant-_" A much louder explosion comes through the comm., followed by silence.

"What is going on?" Megan demands.

"_This is Panakair control! All forces pull back to the mainland! I repeat, all forces fall back immediately!_"

"_This is ground C! We're under attack! AC escorts are offline, I repeat, AC-_"

"_What the hell's going on?_" The Ground B leader asks.

"_I don't know._" Backlash replies. "_But it sounds like the mission's gone south. Fall back to the transports. The STORK's coming back to pick us up, it should be here in a minute._"

Looking around with visuals, Megan frowns, her fingers tapping lightly on the triggers. "What kind of weapon could it be? A new type of massive MT?"

"_Fraust said it looked like a giant AC._" Backlash mutters. "_Worry about it later. Whatever it is, there's probably another one heading our way. Fall back to the beach._"

"On my way." Megan replies. Taking a last look around the base, Megan turns and starts to boost after the MTs. Passing the MTs, Megan makes it to the beach, where two large transport ships are beached, their ramps down and waiting.

"_This is transport One. What the hell is going on Raven?_"

"Unknown." Megan replies. "Something has taken out the other two assault forces. We know as much as you do."

"_This is buzzard Four._" The STORK pilot calls. "_We're preparing for our approach run. We won't be able to set down, so you'll have to meet us halfway._"

"This is Choirriot. We are ready for pick up at the secondary landing zone."

"_Understood Choirriot. ETA is thirty, hey, what's that?_"

When Buzzard Four does not say anything after a few seconds, Megan frowns. "Say again Buzzard Four."

"_Eh, you guys picking up anything in the vicinity? I think we just got buzzed by-_" Buzzard Four goes silent as an explosion erupts in the air over the water some distance from them.

"Buzzard Four, come in!" Megan shouts.

"_I've got a contact!_" Backlash shouts.

"MT forces, get into the transports now!" Checking her area map, Megan finds the warlords position and takes to the air. Activating her OB as soon as she has cleared the tree line, Megan hears the Over Boost system charge, then fire, the sudden acceleration pushing her into her seat slightly as Choirriot goes shooting forward. After several seconds of flight, Choirriot cuts the OB when a column of energy comes shooting up from the ground a ways ahead of her.

"_It's in the air!_" Backlash warns her.

"What is it?" Megan asks, landing in the trees.

"_Fast._" The warlord replies. Checking her radar, Megan sees No sign of the attacker. Shaking her head, she turns her gaze up to the sky. After several seconds, she catches a glimpse of a bright flash in the distance.

"There!" She shouts. "Northeast, about-" Before she can finish relaying the co-ordinates, she notices another flash, and her cockpits alarms suddenly start sounding. "What the?" She exclaims as Choirriot starts to fall. "My, My left leg's been blown off!" She shouts. Firing her boosters, Megan manages to keep herself upright when she catches glimpse of another flash in the sky. Boosting to the side, she barely avoids another shot as it comes streaking down to the ground at high velocity.

"It's a sniper!" Megan shouts.

"_I can't track it._" Backlash tells her as he comes boosting towards her.

"He's moving in and out of range with every attack. We have to get out of here!" Coming up beside Valkyrie, Backlash stops his AC long enough for her to grab his right shoulder, the LX de-activated. Steadying herself on his right side, Megan links systems with Hammerfall, letting the other AC pilot both machines. Once their systems are synchronized, the two start boosting towards the beach. As they take off, another of the large rounds comes slamming into the ground where Hammerfall had been standing scant seconds before, the high velocity round shearing a thick tree in half on the way down. "Calculating the rate of fire." Megan says, punching the commands into her AC's systems. "Maybe we can, veer now!" Backlash complies, and avoids another of the sniper's rounds.

"_Transport One to ACs. We're picking up something weird on long range radar above you, can you confirm?_"

"Confirmed!" Megan shouts. "Forward positional data to AC Choirriot now!"

As the words leave her lips, both ACs stagger as Hammerfall is hit. "_Damn! AP down to Thirty Percent! We can't take another hit like that!_"

Checking her radar, Megan sees the positional data coming in from transport one. "He's coming our way!" Megan warns the warlord.

Less then a second later, Backlash veers left, avoiding another sniper round. "_What kind of weapon is this?_" Backlash asks.

"I don't know, but I have an idea. The enemy is flying in and out of range, most likely to avoid your cannon. If we can time it right-"

"_Just give me three seconds._" Backlash tells her.

"Veer!" Megan shouts when the sniper comes back into range. Dodging another round, the two continue towards the beach, finally making it to the sand after three more attacks. I got you now, Megan thinks to herself, having pinned down the sniper's pattern. Watching her radar, she frowns when he doesn't come in for another attack. "Something's wrong."

"_Wait for it._" Backlash tells her. Stopping to let their condensers charge, Backlash keeps their backs towards the snipers general direction.

"He's just hovering there."

"_He's trying to catch us off guard._" Backlash tells her. "_Keep watching._" Boosting towards the nearest transport ship, Backlash stops before it. "_This is your ride._" He tells her, Choirriot's systems disengaging from Hammerfall's.

Firing her boosters, Megan starts to fly her AC up onto the transport's back when the sniper moves. "He's coming fast!" Megan shouts. The LX already active, Backlash boost spins his AC around and too the right, firing as soon as he gets a lock on the sniper. Avoiding the round, Backlash sees his shot connect in the distance, and catches a briefly glimpse of the sniper's outline. "He's backing off." Megan reports, landing her AC on the transport. Walking backwards towards the other transport ship, Backlash keeps on eye on the sky, the LX charged and ready to fire. Watching the radar, Megan starts when the sniper flies out of range. "He's leaving the combat zone." She says in surprise. "Did we take it out?"

"_No._" Backlash replies. "_Whatever that thing was, it was toying with us. It took the hit._"

"What do you mean?" Megan asks.

"_I mean._" Backlash grunts as he lands Hammerfall on the other transport. "_That thing, whatever it was, didn't try to dodge my shot. It was playing with us. That thing could have taken us down at any time._"

"_This is Transport One. The bogey's out of our radar range, and we are getting the hell out of here!_"

---A---C---

A few hours later, Megan and the warlord are standing before the commanding officer of the UEG forces on the Panakair coast, corporal Gregory Tanner. Standing beside his desk is another man whom Megan does not recognize. "Corporal Tanner." Backlash greets the commanding officer curtly. "Lieutenant Hucksley." Both Corporal and Lieutenant are wearing dark green UEG Military uniforms, and have the same crew cut, though the Corporal is clearly much older, with dark brown hair and piercing brown eyes. The lieutenant on the other hand, has blonde hair and blue eyes shielded by a pair of glasses.

"Warlord Backlash." The corporal says tightly. "What a surprise, the only two ACs to come back, are a pair of independent ravens."

"Then maybe you should train your pilots better." Backlash replies. "Or get better intel on the enemy."

Corporal Tanner slams his fist onto his desk furiously. "Don't try that bullshit with me Backlash! You might be able to intimidate those UEG ass kissers, but I'm beyond that shit! Now, what the hell happened out there? Two full strike forces wiped out, and not a single clue as to what did it!"

"It was big." Backlash says. "And it looked like a bipedal AC. Those bases weren't occupied, they were bait. The facility was stripped, minimal defenses. Those MTs were probably piloted remotely. Alliance was waiting for us, and we took the bait."

"The few reports we did received from the lost units indicated the possibility of two aggressors." Lieutenant Hucksley says. "Can you confirm?"

"No." Megan replies. "I was keeping track of the sniper on radar with the help of Transport One. There was only one aggressor. If there were two aggressors, it's possible that sniper was the one who attacked the Group A assault force."

"Impossible!" Corporal Tanner snorts. "That island was at least thirty miles from your location. Nothing could have taken out two ACs, a full compliment of MTs, then fly all the way over there that fast. It's impossible."

"Perhaps." The lieutenant agrees. "But, at this point sir, it's the only theory we have. Our intelligence has been indicating that the Alliance has been working on a new weapon. Perhaps this is it."

"Whatever it was, it didn't take us as a threat." Backlash tells them. "Even the LX didn't stop it, and it took a direct hit."

"Are you sure you didn't just seriously damage it?" The lieutenant asks.

"There was no way to tell." Megan says. "Even with night optics, the sniper was staying at near maximum range when it fired at us. I would also assume that it had black camouflage of some sort, as we were not able to get any sort of visual on it."

"Odd." Lieutenant Hucksley says. "One of the reports we received from group C before it went silent, was of a white bogey. I guess that will be the best confirmation we can get of the numbers."

The Corporal meanwhile, sighs. "This is getting ridiculous! Alliance clearly has the ability to launch an offensive. What the hell are they waiting for?"

"Probably for whatever it is they're trying to build." Backlash mutters sarcastically.

"There is still the question about those cannons." Lieutenant Hucksley points out. "And you're intel boys still can't sort it out from their can they?" The corporal replies, glaring at the warlord. "I don't know why the top brass puts up with you warlords, but I can't wait for the day you all get what's coming to you."

"Be careful." Backlash warns him. "You might not like what we get. If there's nothing else, we've been up all night. You have our reports."

"Dismissed." The corporal growls. Nodding, Backlash turns and leaves the office, Megan following behind him.

"I suppose it would have been in poor taste to point out you might be a general once we are amalgamated into the UEG military." She says.

"The UEG governors are leaning hard on him." Backlash tells her. "They don't like the fact that it's taking so long to break the siege."

"I thought this was just a temporary setback?" Megan asks.

"Officially maybe." The warlord grunts as they start down the hallway. "But realistically, AT's got that base pinned up tighter then Diana's lab. This is a siege. The corporal knows it, that's why he tried to setup that Artillery cannon."

"But there must have been an easier way to take it out, then to sacrifice most of their armor assets." Megan points out. "This just does not make any sense. If Alliance has such a powerful weapon stationed here, why haven't they attacked? Even a few hit and run raids like we faced would cause more then enough disruption in the UEG battlefront."

"Whoever's leading the AT forces there, is smart." Backlash says after some thought. Reaching the administrative building's entrance, the two step outside into the morning light. All around them, military personnel are moving around between tents and makeshift hangars going about their duties, the activity slowly increasing as the sun climbs higher into the sky. "They're playing their hand close their chest, waiting for the right time to strike. I think it has something to do with that structure and those two massive emplacements they've been building."

"I have been putting some thought into that." Megan says. "While I was still with the Allaince Tactical, I remember hearing some reports about proto-type designs for below-ground facilities that had the ability to rise up above ground. I did not think about it until yesterday when I overheard some of the infantry talking about it in the mess. They seem to think that the batteries are just the top most part of a larger facility."

"That could explain those pillars." Backlash agrees. The two come to a stop before a large hangar, a STORK transport resting within. "Maybe their part of some sort of mechanism to raise and lower it. No point worrying about it now though. Your transport leaves in half an hour. Should get you back in time for the wedding."

"As long as I do not have to change in the transport." Megan says.

"After the wedding." Backlash then says, his tone getting serious. "I want you to bring Kain and Midas down here, Diana too if she isn't too busy."

"Have we been given a formal request?" Megan asks.

"No." The warlord shakes his head. "Not yet, but something tells me that it won't be long before Alliance makes their move. I want to be ready for it when they do. At the very least, Kain might be able to take out that damn sniper if he shows up again." Megan nods. "Oh, and bring Sumika along too if she's back from her trip." Backlash adds.

"Shall I add Valkyrie and Jouster to the roster as well?" Megan asks jokingly.

"If we didn't have rookies coming in." Backlash grunts. "Besides, Jouster isn't active anymore, and Valkyrie has been spending more time in Ops then she has been in Swiftwind."

Megan nods. "She is becoming a fine leader. And she may not be as rusty as you might think."

"Until we have this situation under control, I want her at Mars Base keeping an eye on things." Backlash tells her.

"Of course." Megan nods. "What about Maya? She will be officially joining Outer Heaven once the nuptials are completed, and she has proven herself a capable pilot."

Backlash shakes his head. "Too soon. If something goes wrong up here, she might not be seen as a member of our warband. UEG and their damn bureaucracy. Better to keep her at Mars Base until she's been in the system for a few weeks."

"Maya may object." Megan points out. "She is somewhat, traditional when it comes to staying by her man, particularly when it comes to combat."

"She reminds me of Gina when she was younger." Backlash sighs. "Alright. Have Tina run a check on Maya's Raven ID when you get back. If she's in UEG's database, then bring her. If not, bring Sumika."

"Understood." Megan says. "Anything else?"

"Give my best to the newlyweds." Backlash says after some thought. "And remind Kain that next time, he should keep his big mouth shut."

"I most certainly will." Megan promises, smiling fondly.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – Fresh Meat For The Grinder

Through the fog of sleep, Kain's mind dimly registers a loud pounding at the door to his quarters. "Go away." He mutters, stuffing his head under his pillow. Rolling onto his side, Kain yelps in surprise when he falls off his couch, his impact with the floor jarring him into consciousness. "What the hell?" He utters in surprise, looking around. "Oh yeah, Diana." Getting to his feet, Kain ignores the pounding at the door, fairly certain that it is Midas doing the pounding. Checking his bedroom, Kain sees no sign of Diana, his bed already neatly made. "Has to happen once in awhile I guess." He mutters. Still wearing the clothes he wore yesterday, Kain debates changing before answering, but decides to just get it over with. "Whatdaya want?" Kain demands, opening the door to his quarters.

"I'm in trouble!" Midas exclaims, grabbing his shoulders. "I can't find my tux!"

"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me." Kain sighs. "Did you pick it up yet?"

Midas shakes his head. "I lost the ticket man, what do I do?"

"You shake me, and you're a dead man for starters." Kain growls. "As for your tux, I kinda figured you'd screw that up somehow, so I had it shipped here with the dresses. You can ask Tina where it got stashed."

Midas breathes a sigh of relief. "Thank you!"

"Yeah, yeah." Kain mutters, pulling himself free of the big man's grasp. "Anything else you gotta shit your pants about this morning?"

Midas shakes his head. "No, I'm good. See you later for beers?"

Kain shrugs. "Maybe, see what happens. Hey, you seen Diana around this morning?"

"Haven't been down to the garage yet." Midas replies.

"Alright." Kain mutters, going back into his quarters. Looking around, he debates getting changed when someone else starts to knock on his door. "Now what?" He growls. Going to the door, he opens it, and is surprised to see a woman with shoulder length blonde hair tied back in a single braid.

"Morning." She greets him, her blue eyes showing her good mood.

"When did you get back?" Kain asks, noting that she is wearing a light blue blouse and pants over her flight boots, her right hand is covered with a black leather glove.

"This morning." She replies. "You gonna let me in? I got something interesting."

"It's too early for your kind of interesting Sumika." Kaim mutters, letting her in.

"This is a good interesting." She says, stepping into his quarters. "By the way, I hear we got fresh meat for the grinder coming in today?"

"You wanna come for the welcome?" Kain asks, going into his room.

"Sure." She laughs. "Nothing like watching you insult rookies."

Taking a fresh set of clothes, Kain moves to his bathroom, keeping his door open slightly. "So, where'd you go this time?" He asks as he starts to change and freshen up. "Old Gal."

Sumika replies. "I was visiting grandpa when I caught wind of a rumor from that new startup company, Algea."

"Algebra." Kain corrects her.

"Just checking to see if you're awake." Sumika tells him, smiling as she leans against the back of his couch. "Anyways, word in the corporate espionage sector says that Algebra, and another company that's just starting up, are going to be providing all of the MTs and AC parts for the UEG."

"And I would care about this because?" Kain asks.

"Besides cutting out Alliance completely, rumors are coming out of Algebra's R&D that they've got a new AC design that will beat everything Alliance has been putting out until now."

Kain thinks about it for a second as he puts on a clean shirt. "Cute, if they've got something to back the story up with."

"How about this?" Sumika says. "I managed to track down one of the test pilots, and ex-Raven. He hasn't piloted the new AC yet, but he says it beat him hands down. He says that Algebra's come up with some sort of new control system that the Alliance originally conceptualized but never completed cause of development costs. Course, he didn't know who was piloting the other test AC, so it's possible he was just outmatched, but I don't think so. This guy had a pretty solid record as a Raven."

"Could be interesting." Kain admits. "Will have to see what they come out with. Heard anything from the coast?"

"Actually, there's something else, but it's not from the coast." Sumika says. "You remember Scissor Forest?" Kain stops for a minute to think, then shakes his head. "Guess not." Sumika says from outside of the bathroom. "Well, Alliance had a small research facility in the area. When the UEG first came out of hiding, Alliance had to abandon it, but UEG never got around to taking control of the facility. They recon'ed the place a few times, but never cleared it out."

"And how am I supposed to know this place?" Kain asks, coming out of the bathroom.

"Remember project glory?" She asks, smiling when Kain shivers.

"Most fucked up job ever." He mutters. "Four years later and Val still won't let me forget it."

"Remember that small abandoned base we flew over a couple times during that mission?" Sumika asks, continuing. "Well, that was the facility, except now, it's an Alliance stronghold. Word in Old Gal is that the local smugglers have been sending a lot of materials that way lately. Alliance tactical has also been making sure that the area stays clear of anyone coming in."

"And I should care why?" Kain asks.

"Don't you think it's weird?" She asks. "With the stuff they've been receiving, it looks like they're building something big, massive MT big."

"What does UEG have to say about it?" He asks curiously.

"UEG couldn't find their asses with both hands and a road map half the time." Sumika snorts. "Tina's supposed to forward the information to UEG later. But I'm telling you Kain, something's going on over there."

"Whatever." Kain tells her. "Time to go chew up some rookies. You coming?"

"Oh yeah." Sumika says, grinning.

----------

The waiting room is a large and mostly empty, the three tables and nine chairs barely filling the room the three pilots in it have become fairly familiar with. "This place like, has an echo." One of them chuckles. Leaning precariously backwards in a chair, the young man has shoulder length hair dyed a bright orange. His skin is tanned and weathered, suggesting many a year outdoors in the sun. His normally lazily green eyes occasionally sweep across the room, with the clarity of an experienced combatant. The young man's flight suit is black and orange. "You could probably get some gnarly acoustics in this place." He continues.

"Like anyone cares." The man sitting beside him says sourly. A handsome man of Asian descent, he has well-groomed black hair and brown eyes. He sits rigidly in his seat metallic chrome flight suit shining slightly in the room's light.

"You really need to chill, dude." The first man tells him.

"My name, is Saru Minase." The second man tells the first pointedly. "Not dude, or hombre, or partner, or man."

"Whatever." The first man says.

Sitting at another table, her head resting on the table itself, is a woman with short, dark red hair. Her green eyes are partially open, looking quite bored. A small scar cuts across her left cheek along the jaw line. Her flight suit is a dark blue with shades of beige. "Leave him alone." She says tiredly.

"How long do they plan on making us wait?" Saru demands.

"Yeah." The first man agrees. "I'm starving! You'd think they could at least give us some grub."

The woman sighs, sitting up. "It's a personality test of some kind. They used to pull the same kind of crap in Alliance Tactical."

"You were in AT?" Saru asks, surprised.

"Was." She agrees.

"Wow." The first man says. "That's pretty wild, you like, admitting that and all."

The woman looks up at the young man angrily, and is going to reply, when the old swing door suddenly comes crashing open, hitting the wall with a loud crash that surprises them all. "Good morning rookies!" A man shouts as he strides into the room. Surprised, the first man looses his backwards, and falls backwards. "Hah!" The newcomer shouts. "You owe me five credits Sumika!"

"I don't believe it." Sumika laughs as she enters the room.

"Fall in, maggots!" The man shouts. Instantly, the three scramble to their feet and quickly form a line before the man, his arms now crossed over his chest. "In case you haven't figured it out yet, I, am Kain. And you three rookies, want to be a part of the legend that is Outer Heaven." Turning to Sumika, he takes touchpad mini-computer from Sumika. "Saru Minase." Kain reads out loud. "Was an active Raven for three years, with twenty-two missions under your belt before going corporate for a year. After that, you joined the UEG movement after the last Layered imploded and Alliance got their nuts chopped off." Kain snorts. "Talk about abandoning a sinking ship. At least the girl over there got off at the start." Hearing this, Saru bristles slightly, but remains silent.

"Which brings me to you." Kain says, turning his attention to the only woman in the group. "Jessica Pallen. Went straight to the AT academy, graduated near the top of your class, spent a year as a MT pilot, then got bumped up to ACs. Four years, fifteen missions, thirty some combat tours or whatever the hell those are supposed to be. Quit Tactical and tried to join the Ravens around the time UEG started making themselves known to the world. Says here you're an artillery specialist?"

"My AC Heavy Rain is a medium reverse-joint equipped with numerous missile launching systems." Jessica explains. "My primary role in combat is long range bombardment and base defense elimination."

"Okay." Kain says slowly. "Loosen the collar a bit, this isn't AT. You on the other hand." Kain says, turning his attention to the third member of the line. "I don't get. Jerry 'Jerky' Jones. Apparently that's your call sign too."

"Jerky Jones?" Sumika asks, smirking.

"Gnarly name isn't it?" Jerry asks. "You can just call me Jerky, everyone does."

"How'd you get stuck with that name?" Kain asks. "Nevermind." He then says when Jerky opens his mouth reply. "I don't think I want to know. According to this, you've been a Raven from the get go. Did your training out west near Nexus near some costal town. Twelve official missions, and seven confirmed bounties collected, not bad. Says here, you usually stay near the water. Long way from the beach aren't ya?"

Jerky shrugs. "My man at the local bureau said, 'hey Jerky, wanna be a legend?', and I was like, 'sure, sounds righteously gnarly'. Then he was like, 'one catch, you gotta go inland', and I was like 'aww man, that sucks'. Then he was like, 'but get this, the position's with those hotshot'-"

"Okay!" Kain shouts. "I get it. Starting to see why your profile has beach bum written at the top." Shaking his head, Kain takes one last look at the pad before tossing it over his shoulder at Sumika. "According to the profiles put together by Tina, Mars Base's information Officer, you all are supposed to be mildly hotshot pilots. Unfortunately, since none of you rookies never bothered to get into the arenas, I don't have any kind of real way of checking your skills."

"One would think our mission statistics would be good for something." Saru says tightly.

"Yeah, so you survived a bunch of missions." Kain says flatly. "That doesn't tell me whether you did them, or you got carried through. Even the bounties turkey over there don't say too much."

"Eh, it's Jerky, sir." Jerky corrects him.

"Shaddap!" Kain shouts at the man, making him jump. "You're going to be road kill a little later if you pick my name out of the hat. That's right rookies, you three are going to be doing a little live fire fighting. One on one combat with either me, Midas, or Jouster, the resident fossil of Mars Base."

"Who you calling a fossil?" Jouster asks as the man in question enters the room. "And while we're at it, what are you doing here? You weren't supposed to be here for orientation."

"What can I say?" Kain chuckles. "I like chewing the fat." Behind him, Sumika giggles.

"Funny." Jouster chuckles. "You kids will have to excuse Kain here. He's a little stressed out lately. I'm Jouster, your commanding officer."

"Excuse me sir." Jessica asks. "But, isn't Mr. Kain supposed to be?" Both Jouster and Sumika burst out laughing.

"Kain, in charge?" Sumika asks.

"Thank you so much for the vote of confidence." Kain says flatly.

"Just getting ready for the wedding is driving you up the wall." Jouster chuckles, getting himself back under control. "But to answer your question . . ." Jouster takes the pad from Sumika. "Let's see. You would be Jessica, call sign Bomber."

"Yes sir." Jessica agrees, saluting.

"Kain's a, special case, being the Last Raven and all."

"You guys are killing me." Kain mutters, stepping aside.

"Admit it Kain." Sumika tells him. "You like not being in charge. Gives you more time to go blow stuff up."

"You got a point there." Kain reluctantly admits.

"Besides." Jouster says. "Technically, you are a senior member of this base, so you can order people around, if you're willing to take care of the paperwork."

"There's that word I hate so much." Kain sighs.

"Which is exactly why you're not officially in charge of anything." Sumika declares.

"But putting that aside." Jouster says. "Has anyone actually started the orientation yet? Or where you two just trying to scare the rookies?"

"I am not a rookie." Saru says tightly.

"I'm sorry." Jouster apologizes. "You must have more then three years under your belt? Cause that's all I am seeing here." Saru does not reply, a disgruntle look on his face. "Outer Heaven is a veteran warband." Jouster explains. "Everyone except for our last recruit, has at least seven years of piloting experience, over thirty successful missions to their profile, and a minimum of one hundred arena matches. Core members of Outer Heaven also took part in the Layered Offensive. Last I checked, none of you are even close to that."

"Whoa." Jerky says. "That's like, totally insane, dude."

"That's one way of putting it." Jouster chuckles. "But what this means for you three, is that you're going to be put on probation for next few weeks. You'll technically be assigned to Mars Base, but until you earn your place here, none of you are officially part of the warband, or unit as the UEG wants us to call it now. Any questions?"

Jerky hesitantly raises his hand. "The Last Raven dude said something about fighting today and, pulling names out of a hat?"

Jouster nods. "We'll be doing evaluations of your ACs and piloting skills today." Jouster explains. "You'll be going up against members of Outer Heaven. Frankly, no one really expects you to win your matches, and we don't really expect you to, especially whichever of you poor suckers gets to go up against Kain and DK. We'll basically be using these exercises to gauge your skills."

"I'll try and make it last." Kain promises them, an evil looking grin on his face. "But I got a shit load of venting to do."

"Down boy." Sumika chuckles.

"Once your evaluations are completed." Jouster continues. "You'll all be doing some time on the frontlines with warlord Backlash himself. He's the one you got to impress. If you make it back alive, and in roughly one piece, you might just earn your membership in Outer Heaven."

"Before you rookies start patting yourself on the backs for getting here." Kain adds. "Keep in mind that it's been a revolving door through since we started looking for replacements about two years ago. You're what? The eight or ninth group coming through here?"

"Thirteenth actually." Sumika corrects him. "You missed two of the groups, and we had one who never made it past Midas in the preliminary evaluations."

Jouster nods. "I remember that one. Supposed to have been UEGs best and brightest. They cracked on the third exercise. One of them was crying for their mommy, and he was the one I bet on to last the longest."

"We weren't even really trying that hard either." Sumika adds.

"Anyways." Jouster chuckles. "Do you have any other questions?"

"Was keeping us here for four hours part of our evaluation?" Jessica asks.

"No." Jouster replies. "But the fact you all stayed here waiting for someone to come in tells me a lot about you three. Anything else?"

"When will our ACs get their modifications?" Saru asks.

"Those mods and upgrades are for Outer Heaven members only." Kain says pointedly. "And anyone who's thinking about doing a little snooping around might want to know that security is cleared to shoot to kill if they have to."

"And security always errs on the side of caution." Sumika adds. "If you earn your place here though, they got some sweet packages to try out."

"You kids have fun." Kain tells them, suddenly going to the door. "I need to have a chat with my AI before we get started."

"I need to have a chat with your AI too." Sumika says.

"Have fun." Jouster chuckles as they leave the room.

"Something wrong?" Kain asks once they are out in the hallway.

"I want to know why my picture was registered with one of those sleazy dating agencies with the screenname wet'n wild."

Despite himself, Kain bursts out laughing. "Are you serious?" He asks.

"In Old Gal!" Sumika exclaims. "The one night off I had, I had to stay at the garage because everyone who saw it thinks I'm some kind of paid slut!"

"I don't know what the hell she's up to." Kain sighs. "But this crap has got to stop." Sumika nods in agreement as they enter the elevator to the AC garage. Coming out near Dark Knight's hangar, Kain immediately notices that the repair bay's gantries are closed, forming a large capsule-like structure around the AC, hiding it from view. "What the hell?" Kain says when he sees it. The two walk over to the repair bay, and Kain taps his password into the console. "DK's still in maintenance? That should have been done hours ago."

"Maybe there's a problem with DK?" Sumika suggests.

"_No._" Diana's voice replies, her face appearing on the console's monitor. "_There was a problem with the mainframe last night. I've downloaded DK into the lab systems. She should be waking up soon if you need to talk to her._"

"We'll be over in a minute." Kain tells her.

"_I'll leave the door open. Oh, by the way Sumika, I fixed Desperado's leg if you want to take Kain's place in the evaluation this afternoon. Kain has a meeting with the priest after lunch._"

"Ah hell!" Kain exclaims. "This damn wedding isn't going to end fast enough."

"That's what you get for opening your big mouth." Sumika chides him. Snorting, Kain takes the lead, and the two head for Diana's lab.

Finding the doors open, the two follow the open path to the room holding the main terminal for Diana's lab. "She's just coming around now." Diana tells them as they enter. Seconds later, a moan comes through the lab's speakers.

"_Oh my aching processors._" A voice that sounds suspiciously like Diana's says.

"Suck it up you artificial idiot." Kain grunts.

"I've already uploaded a painkiller patch to your systems DK." Diana tells her. "It should be kicking in any time now."

"_It is._" DK replies. "_That feels so much better. I hate maintenance._" Short for Dark Knight, DK is the AI entity that resides within Kain's AC. Originally created by sub-core Omega, DK has evolved since her birth, becoming a true artificial entity in her own right. Unfortunately, when DK began developing her personality, she chose Diana as her template. "_Hey, what's going on? My shell's still in maintenance._"

"I'm hoping you'll be able to answer that." Diana tells the AI. "I need you to go through last night's process logs. Something happened that threw the mainframe off."

"_Gimme a sec._" DK tells her.

"When did you get back?" Diana asks, turning her attention to Sumika.

"Yesterday night." She replies. "Why, did you miss me, D?"

"I just didn't realize you were back so soon." Diana replies. "I've also uploaded the new operating system into Desperado."

"Finally." Sumika says. "I can't believe you guys took so long to give me those damn upgrades."

"It wasn't that I didn't want to." Diana apologizes. "It's just that because you took so long to officially join Outer Heaven, we couldn't risk the chance that you were going to leave. Some of the enhancements I've been doing to our ACs are complex. Most normal garages wouldn't be able to effectively tune or repair them. Then there's also the risk that-"

"I get it." Sumika tells her. "I guess it's my fault. I never really though about sticking around once Stinger was gone. Staying in one place for so long kind of takes some getting used to I guess. Not that I'm complaining." She adds.

"_Found it._" DK calls out, getting their attention. "_According to the logs, there was a massive data download at twenty-three ten last night._"

"A download?" Diana asks. "From where? I wasn't expecting anything."

The log data appears on the main monitor. "_It looks like a batch command to pull data up from the backups. While it was adding it to primary memory, the system hit some bad memory, and forced a reboot when the buffers got backed up._"

Frowning, Diana looks at the log. "This isn't right. This data was for a study I did weeks ago. That batch command should never have run. And this memory block, I think I just did some maintenance on it for a faulty board."

"_All I can tell you is what's in the log._" DK says. "_Once the mainframe rebooted, it went into data recovery mode, and restarted the maintenance protocols for my shell._"

Taking a seat at the terminal, Diana starts typing away. "This doesn't make any sense. Have there been any intrusions or abnormalities in the base networks in the last twenty-four hours?"

"You think someone tried to break in?" Sumika asks.

"It's possible." Diana admits. "But, hard to tell." New data starts to appear on the screen. "Last night's backup data is corrupted." Diana says after reading what's being displayed.

"Not too badly though." Sumika says, coming up behind her. "It looks like someone just, scrambled it. Hard to tell, but I think there's a pattern to it."

"There is." Diana agrees. "This is one of the encryptions I designed to beef up network security. But it's off." Megan sighs. "What a mess. This'll take me all day to sort through."

"_What about the bad memory block?_" DK asks. "_I just tried accessing it, and it isn't responding._"

"I'll send Thom and Thim to look at it." Diana mutters.

"Relax." Sumika tells her, putting her hands on Diana's shoulders. "You'll figure it out. You usually do." Diana nods absently.

"You two need a minute alone or something?" Kain asks jokingly. Hearing him, Sumika quickly backs away from Diana's chair, blushing slightly. "How long before Maintenance is done?" He asks, chuckling.

"Not for several hours." Diana replies. "We'll do a full system diagnostic once it's done to make sure everything is in working order."

"_Not like I have anywhere to go really._" DK mumbles.

"Relax." Kain tells his AI partner.

"_But I wasn't invited!_" DK complains. "_I'm supposed to be part of the team! I want to go to the wedding!_"

"You are going." Diana tells her.

"_I'm what?_" DK asks, surprised.

"Apparently, they're going to dress up one of Diana's repair bots or something." Kain mutters.

"I personally think you should be grounded." Sumika mutters, suddenly remembering why she had come there. "Little miss hot'n wild."

"_You, found out about that._" DK says, laughing nervously.

"I don't know what the hell you're doing with this dating crap, but it's stopping right now." Kain tells her.

"_But!_" DK objects.

"No buts!" Kain shouts. "It's done! Over! Finished! And if I get one more call from one of those dating services again, I'm going to get Diana to re-program you or something. Got it?"

"_Okay._" DK says sullenly.

Nodding, Kain turns towards the door. "I'm gonna go see if anymore of this wedding crap needs doing. Let me know if anything comes up with my AC."

"We will." Diana assures Kain as he leaves. "As for you." Diana turns her attention to DK. "You owe me an explanation. I know you've been curious about human interactions outside of the Mars Base personnel, but dating services?"

"_I was bored!_" DK says in her own defense. "_And, well, I just, stumbled across one of those spams Kain keeps throwing out, and well . . ._"

"Next time, try chat rooms and bulletin boards." Sumika tells her. "And if I ever catch you using my profile again. . ."

"_I'm so sorry!_" DK tells her. "_I'll fix it, I promise._"

Sumika gives Diana a skeptical look. "I'll make sure it gets fixed." Diana promises her.

"_Hey!_" DK exclaims.

"No, I don't trust you right now." Sumika tells the AI. "And if I were you, I'd be worried about Val when she gets her hands on you."

"_She knows?_" DK asks.

"Yes she does." Diana tells her. "And she was not happy this morning when she came looking for you."

"Maybe if your lucky, and you stay under the radar, it might blow over until after the wedding." Sumika suggests.

"In the meantime." Diana tells DK. "You can start by tracking down where the original download request came from."

"_I'm on it._" DK tells her.

"So, tomorrow's the big day." Sumika says.

"Indeed." Diana agrees. "Kain's big day. This should be fun."


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – Her comes the Bride, There Goes The War

Yawning, Megan steps out STORK transport and starts down the ramp. Halfway to the ground, Megan sees Valkyrie waiting for her nearby, the second in command of Outer Heaven wearing a jumpsuit. "What are you doing here?" Megan asks, reaching the bottom of the ramp and joining her.

"Wanted to talk to you before you get rushed off to wardrobe." Valkyrie explains.

"You made it back just in time." Megan sighs. "I know. The transport had to make a detour to pick up some supplies for Baylore. Did the warlord contact you?"

"No." Valkyrie replies. "He wouldn't have unless it was an emergency. Since you were coming back, he would have just passed on any messages through you."

Megan nods in understanding. "I see. Well, there is little to report at this time. Other then the incident with the unidentified weapon that is."

Hearing this, Valkyrie frowns. "What do you mean unidentified weapon?"

Megan looks around. "Should we not speak of this inside?"

"You'll get jumped by the others as soon as you walk in the door." Valkyrie grimaces. "Me too for that matter."

"I see. And how has Kain been doing with the preparations?" Valkyrie chuckles.

"Oh, it's been almost too funny to watch him squirm. But what about the unidentified weapon?" Megan shrugs. "The warlord and I were part of an operation to reclaim the island installations that the Alliance had seized. Of the three separate attack forces that were sent, only ours survived. We were attacked by a large, high-speed unit capable of long range sniping attacks. We assume it was the same unit that destroyed one of the other attack forces. We were only able to escape because the unit allowed us to after the warlord managed to strike it with his hammer. We lost four other ACs."

"One single unit did all that?" Valkyrie asks.

"No, there were apparently two units, though we only encountered the one. The warlord wants Kain, Midas, Sumika, and Diana to come back to the coast with me after the wedding. He believes that the Alliance will be making their move soon, and he wants to be ready for it. In particular, he wants Kain to go against the unidentified weapon when it re-appears."

"Makes sense." Valkyrie says. "If it's as fast as you say it is, Kain might be the only one who can catch it. But why Diana? Is it about that thing Alliance is building in their base?"

"I believe so." Megan agrees. "Certainly, the UEG analysts have been unable to discern its purpose."

Valkyrie nods. "Alright, I'll make sure you guys are ready to move out tomorrow afternoon. Might have to send Maya instead of Sumika though, she's been getting, edgy."

"That is probably a nice way of putting it." Megan smiles. "How is the groom doing by the way?"

Valkyrie chuckles. "Oh, you know him. He's keeping his cool, mostly."

Sitting in his chair, Kain, now dressed in his tuxedo, is going over the dinner menu. "So help me, the next time I open my big mouth about this kind of stupid shit, I will cut out my own tongue." He swears to himself. Sitting in one of the offices near the terrace that was converted into a wedding chapel, Kain and Jouster wait for the main event. The terrace itself is located roughly thirty floors above ground, giving it a picturesque background for the nuptials.

"Ah, it's not that bad." Jouster chuckles.

"Speak for yourself, blondie." Kain mutters.

"I haven't been blonde in a few years." He chuckles.

"Yeah well-" Kain starts to say when Midas comes bursting in. "A little help guys?" He asks nervously, his necktie hanging undone around his neck.

"I thought you tied that already?" Kain asks Jouster.

"I, well . . ." Midas says sheepishly.

"You were screwing around with it again." Kain says flatly. "I don't know if I'm ready for this!" Midas exclaims. "I mean, marriage? I don't think I can do it! Maybe we really are rushing things a little too fast."

"So help me." Kain growls. "You are walking down that aisle even if I have to get DK up here to put the KAWASARA to your back!"

"Not to mention, Maya might want to skin you alive if you ruin the day." Jouster chuckles. Midas laughs nervously.

"Relax." Megan tells him as she enters the room. "You will do fine Midas."

Hearing her, Kain looks up in surprise. "Hey, you made it." He greets her. "And you got suckered into this mess too I see." He then adds, taking note of her salmon pink brides maid's dress.

"Maya asked me months ago." Megan tells him. "Before you rammed your leg down your throat." Going over to Midas, Megan quickly fixes his tie. "And how has my husband been doing with the wedding preparations?" She asks absently as she works.

"Pretty good." Jouster admits. "But I get the feeling Diana put a fair bit of work into it."

Kain snorts. "Don't start, blondie." Finishing with Midas' tie, Megan goes over to Kain behind the desk, and gives him a kiss on the cheek. "I missed you." She says.

"Was kind of boring without you around." He admits, giving her a kiss on the lips.

"And I have something you might be interested in." She adds.

"News from the coast?" Kain asks curiously.

"Yes." Megan agrees. "I will tell you about it later."

"Maybe we can, start a little late." Midas suggests.

"Come on." Jouster sighs. "Let's go get you a little liquid courage."

"Not too much." Megan warns him.

"As fun as it is to see Midas drunk." Kain mutters, Megan lightly hitting him on the shoulder.

"This isn't the time for it." Jouster nods.

"Will do." Putting a hand on Midas' shoulder, Jouster leads the big man out of the room.

"I saw Diana with the others." Megan says. "How is she doing?"

"We need to get her a boyfriend." Kain says, setting the menu down. "Not that I don't mind have two hot ladies to play around with." Megan gives him a warning look at his small joke. "She needs someone who can be there more then me." He says, clearing his throat. "I can't keep splitting my time between the two of you, it's a little much, even for me. She's doing a little better though since DK keeps hanging around the lab when we're not out."

"I shall speak with Sumika about this later." Megan promises him. "Diana seems to be doing well enough now. Perhaps we can safely, cut the cord as it were."

Kain nods in agreement. "I think Diana's starting to feel the same way too. She's just not taking the initiative lately when it comes to personal change. I wonder if those idiots managed to get the cake over to-"

"It will be fine." Megan assures him. "You did a somewhat remarkable job, despite having Diana make most of the arrangements."

"Every great leader needs some grunts to get the work done." Kain says smugly, making her laugh.

"I would not let Diana hear that if I were you." She warns him.

"Time to get this show on the road!" Someone shouts from the hallway. Sighing, Kain gets to his feet, and lets Megan fuss over his coat for several seconds before the two make their way out into the hallway. "This damn thing isn't going to end fast enough." He sighs as Jouster and Midas, now looking a little calmer, approach. "Right now, I just want to get this nightmare over with before I really do decide to kill someone." Nodding, Megan smiles, taking his arm and patting it compassionately.

"How long have you two been together now?" Jouster asks once they join the two.

"About three years." Kain replies.

"I still can't believe you tied the knot." Jouster chuckles.

"I still can't believe they-" Midas starts to say when Megan cuts in.

"Do not remind me." She growls, blushing slightly.

"Can't say it was a ceremony you could forget." Kain chuckles. "No matter how much she tries to." Reaching the terrace, Megan takes her leave of the three, going to join Diana, Valkyrie, and two other women Kain does not know, the other bridesmaids. Walking down the aisle, Kain sees all the people attending are already seated, Maya's family and friends on the left, Midas' family and base personnel on the right. At the end of the aisle the priest waits. "Who's walking her down anyways?" Kain asks.

"Her brother." Midas replies. "You sure everything's set?" He asks, starting to sound nervous again.

"The only way this could possible go wrong, is if a priority one alert gets called in." Kain mutters. "Only Val, Tina, or the warlord can do that right now unless the base itself comes under attack. So relax."

Midas nods. "I know, I know."

"You love the girl don't you?" Kain asks.

"Yeah." Midas replies. "Sure, we've had a few fights, but those are nothing."

"A few fights?" Jouster asks. "Man, she's taken shots at you in her AC, while you weren't in yours."

"And don't forget the mutual strangling incident in the canteen." Kain adds.

"So we had a few roughs spots." Midas says defensively.

"Rough spots are sleeping on the couch." Kain mutters. "You guys go to war."

Midas chuckles fondly at his words. "Well, at least it wasn't boring. But we're past that now. We love each other, and the only time we're going to lay down the pain, is on the bad guys."

"I'll put fifty credits down that they don't make it past the honeymoon." Jouster says.

"Damn." Kain curses. "I was going to say that."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence guys." Midas says sourly.

"Just playing around." Jouster chuckles. "We're happy for you, really."

"At least we didn't have to shave you." Kain adds.

Midas strokes his beard affectionately. "You're just jealous."

Taking their places, Kain looks around, and notices Thim, one of Diana's humanoid robots, the round head featureless save for a single band running around the head, a blue dot facing the front. What surprises Kain though, is that Thim is now painted a salmon pink like the bridesmaid's dresses. "That must be DK." Kain mutters. Shaking his head, he runs through his mental checklist one more time as the procession music starts to play. "Don't move." Kain warns Midas when he starts to fidget. Looking down the aisle, Kain sees Maya coming into view in her white dress, her black hair with red highlights pulled back in a small bun, her dark, tanned skin almost shining in the daylight. This isn't going to end fast enough, Kain thinks sourly, waiting for the bride to reach them. Once she does though, and Midas takes his place at her side, Kain has to admit that they make a cut couple, particularly when they are not trying to kill each other.

"Dearly beloved." The priest begins. "We are gathered here today to join these two in holy matrimony. Through sickness and in health, through flying dinnerware and ordinance, through thick and thin, hell and high water. Through shouted words, broken bones, and naked runs across the AC garage, and of course, the infamous, belly flop." Polite laugher can be heard from the guests, and Kain can't help but snicker himself. "I apologize, I was asked to deliver this part before we begin." The priest explains.

"Something about, payback." Maya gives Kain a brief but withering glare. The priest then begins reciting the actual words of the ceremony.

As he speaks, Kain looks over at the bridesmaids, and sees all five of them glaring at him briefly. "_I can't believe you made him say that!_" DK tells him, using the comm. unit implanted in his head.

So worth it, he thinks to himself. Sighing, Kain watches as the ceremony continues, glad to finally be done with the entire mess. Unfortunately, as they are bringing out the rings, his personal comm. unit goes off with a loud, insistent beeping that gets everyone's attention, including the priest's. "Whoever's calling me is a dead man." He mutters, pulling the unit out of his pocket. "You do realize I'm in the middle of a-"

"_There's a priority one transmission for you sir._" The man at the other end say. "_Please come to ops immediately._"

Sighing, Kain looks around and shrugs. "Sorry." He apologizes. "Keep going without me, Jouster's my backup." Putting his comm. unit back in his pocket, Kain quickly excuses himself and makes his way back into the base. Working his way up to the operations room, Kain pulls his necktie off. "This had better be a real damn emergency." Kain shouts.

"Warlord Backlash on the line for you sir." The technician who had called him earlier says. "It's bad." Frowning, Kain goes to the indicated terminal, and takes a seat. After taking off his coat, Kain activates the terminal, and after a few seconds, the warlord's face appears on screen.

"You look like shit boss." Kain says when he sees the haggard expression on the warlord's face.

"_Alliance just made their move._" Backlash says. "_The entire UEG frontline is gone._"

Hearing this, Kain starts. "What do you mean gone? They punched through it?"

"_No, it was wiped out._" Backlash replies. "_We were hit this morning at dawn. Two ACs bigger then anything I've ever seen. One of them was the sniper._"

"What sniper?" Kain asks. "I didn't any details about the coast from Megan yet. She got in just in time to get changed."

"_I'll let her tell you about it later then._" Backlash says. "_Right now, I need a full mobilization. You, Midas, Maya, Sumika and Jouster. Have Diana bring her MCVs, we'll need them._"

"How bad is it?" Kain asks.

"_UEG forces have pulled back to the secondary perimeter. So far, Alliance forces haven't come after us, but they're mobilizing. If those two, things, don't join this attack, we should be able to weather it, but we need reinforcement immediately._"

Kain curses, running a hand through his hair. "Damnit! What about that structure? The one with the pillars?"

"_Work crews and MTs are swarming all over it. I think they're getting ready to activate whatever it is. Our main concern right now, is those two ACs. The only thing I've ever seen move that fast, is your Dark Knight_"

"Say what?" Kain exclaims.

"_You heard me._" Backlash replies. "_They've also got some kind of shielding like Dark Knight has, except this one kills, leaking some kind of radiation. I've already forwarded what data we have to Diana's mainframe. She can fill you in more once she's done the reading._"

Kain nods. "Alright, once the ceremony's done, I'll kick everyone into full gear. Just try not to get yourself killed before we get there."

"_Just make sure you get here in time._" Backlash tells him. "_Backlash out._"

As the warlord disappears from the screen, Kain gets to his feet. "As soon as you hear from Val, I want this base on full alert." He tells the men and women manning the ops room. "Get the STORKs ready to fly and start loading up the ordnance. Sounds like we're going to need it." Once he has given the orders, Kain runs out of the ops room towards the terrace, tie and coat forgotten.

As he gets there, the priest is on the verge of completing the ceremony. "I now present to you, Midas, and Maya Li." The crowd starts to clap as the couple turns to face them. Seeing that the ceremony is done, Kain runs down the aisle.

"Sorry to interrupt." Kain calls out, the crowd going silent. "But we got a problem." Looking around, he ignores the angry looks he gets from various people. "The Panakair frontline has been decimated. Almost half of the UEG forces were wiped out." The angry looks turn to gasps and looks of shock and horror.

"Is the warlord?" Valkyrie asks worriedly.

"He's still kicking." Kain assures her. "UEG's regrouping at their secondary line, but they're expecting another attack in the next few hours. We've been given the order for a full mobilization. Midas, Maya, Sumika, and myself will be going back with Megan. We leave ASAP." Taking out her own comm. unit, Valkyrie is already talking with the people in Ops, Diana and DK making their way towards the exit. "I know this is some bad timing." Kain continues. "And I apologize for it. We'll try to have some kind of a reception while the ACs are being loaded, but the bottom line is, we leave as soon as we can. Sorry Midas, Maya."

"Not quite the honeymoon I was expecting." The large man says.

"Those Alliance bastards are going to pay for ruining my wedding." Maya vows angrily.

"You guys got about half an hour before you got to start getting ready I think." Kain tells them. "You might want to use it while you can."

A short time later, Kain makes his way into Diana's laboratory, and finds her and DK pouring over the data Backlash had sent. "What's the word?" He asks.

"_Very bad._" DK replies.

"That's two words." Kain points out as he goes to Diana's side.

"Unfortunately, DK may be right." Diana tells him. "Analysis of the radiation emitted by the two large ACs are a match to Kojima particle contamination."

Kain frowns. "That sounds familiar." He mutters.

"_From Mars._" DK tells him. "_The schematics we used to template the HEP shield off of._"

"That stuff?" He exclaims. "I thought it was highly toxic to living tissues?"

"In a large enough concentration, it can also erode metals, including armor plating." Diana adds. "I am not certain, but these two ACs, might be NEXTs." The three fall silent for several seconds.

"So what?" Kain finally says. "We've taken down a Controller, Stinger, Zinaida, a souped-up Deakon, and everything else all of the above threw at us. I'm sure as shit not scared of a few NEXTs, even if they are a hell of a lot bigger then DK. We've been kicking butt since the beginning, and we aren't going to stop now!"

"_I hope so._" DK says. "_Even my rough estimates show that their weapons, armor, speed, and maneuverability are all at a whole other level from conventional ACs._"

"No doubt partially due to their size." Diana says.

"Whatever." Kain growls. "Can we take them down?"

Running a hand through her hair, Diana looks at the various screens throughout the room. "If I am reading the Mars data correctly, the Kojima contamination being emitted from the two NEXTs, are actually residue from their Kojima-based defensive system known as Primal Armor. If we can find a way to penetrate the Primal Armor, we might be able to gain an advantage, albeit a small one. I am having your AC loaded with the MBUs so I can make modifications as we move."

"MBU's?" Kain asks.

"I renamed the MCVs." Diana explains. "Mobile Base Units. After I rebuilt the three units into the two larger ones, they didn't really fit the role of Mobile Construction Vehicles anymore. Besides acting as an on-site repair bay, the MBUs will also allow me to run command and control for the area. I have even equipped them with several laser cannons and homing laser missile systems."

"Nice. We'll probably need it all and then some. The warlord also wanted you to take a look at whatever the hell it is Alliance is building in their base."

Diana nods. "Preliminary analysis has already begun. I'll look at it once I've finished work on the NEXT counter measures."

"Alright." Kain says, nodding. "Sounds like a plan. I'm going to go check on the wedding party."

"Save me some cake!" Diana calls out as he leaves.

The reception was originally to be held in a walled off section of the MT hangar. Unfortunately, with the order to mobilization given, the thin temporary walls do nothing to block the noise of heavy machinery moving about beyond them.

Entering the reception room, Kain sees most of the non-base personnel present, though the celebration is subdued, the noise from the hangar clearly putting a dampener on the festivities. Spotting Midas and Maya circulating, Kain makes his way towards them. "How's it going?" He asks.

Maya, looking more then a little angry, opens her mouth to reply, but Midas beats her to it. "Could be a lot better." He replies, then to Maya, says. "Give us a minute honey."

"You are not leaving without me." She warns him.

"Don't worry." Kain assures her. "We don't have the option of leaving people behind this time."

Midas pulls Kain aside. "She's ready to flip." Midas says nervously.

"I don't blame her." Kain sighs. "Alliance picked a lousy time to go on the offensive."

"I heard from Val. How did they take out the UEG line so fast?"

Kain grimaces. "Diana has a theory she's working on. She'll fill us in once we're in the air, or if we get a briefing before we leave. Crusher and Albatross are already being loaded. Just, try to enjoy the party as much as you can, maybe get a bite to eat while you can."

Midas grimaces. "Easier said then done. The noise from the hangar's really bad."

Kain nods. "Yeah, that's why we were supposed to have it shutdown today. I've already got some people coming down to move stuff to one of the conference rooms. That should do something about the noise, won't help with the dancing though."

"There you are!" Maya's brother Tony says as he approaches. "I demand to know what is going on?"

"Whaddaya mean what's going on?" Kain asks.

"I just checked with the UEG news net." Tony says, holding up a fancy comm. unit complete with digital display. On the display, is the UEG news site. "The Panakair coast is not under attack."

Kain gives the man a flat look. "Do you really think they'd be dumb enough to post something like this as it happens? Honestly?"

"Tony, news on the war is always censored." Midas tells him. "You know that. I know I told you about this before, and I'm pretty sure Maya has too. We heard it first because they need us up there."

The other man fumes. "I knew letting you marry my sister would be a mistake." He says. "You ruined the wedding today, what will you do tomorrow?" Before either Midas or Kain has a chance to reply, Tony turns and leaves, heading back towards Maya.

"They are so related." Kain mutters once he is out of earshot.

"Tell me about it." Midas sighs. "At least we don't run into him often."

"Just try and hold out until we're ready to go." Kain tells the other man, clapping him on the shoulder a few times. "I'll make sure you guys get enough warning to change before we dust off." With that, Kain leaves, intent on changing into his flight suit before something else happens.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – The Reaper Cometh

Sitting Dark Knight's cockpit, Kain yawns. "_Maintenance complete._" Diana tells him over the comm. system. "_Dark Knight is fully prepared for battle._"

Kain nods. "Good. What's in the left hand? I'm not recognizing the signature."

"_It's a new weapon I've recently finished developing._" Diana explains. "_I'm calling it DWH5-PELLET. It's an energy based machinegun specifically made for your AC. Rather then draw energy from a clip, it draws it directly from the power distribution node network like your other weapons._"

"Nothing beats infinite ammo." Kain chuckles, checking the rest of DK's systems out of sheer habit. "Quick Boost, OverBoost, SHIFTERS online. HEP shield looks good, weapons primed, pilot itching to blow something up. What's our ETA to Panakair?"

"_Fifteen minutes._" Diana replies. "_I'm a little concerned about us leaving ahead of the rest of the convoy. Bad enough we had to leave the other MBU behind-_"

"Look, I know this might be a jumping the gun a little." Kain says, interrupting Diana. "But my gut's telling me that waiting may not have been the best of ideas. And you know how good my gut is."

"_No comment._" DK says in his ear. "_I've also replaced your orbital cannons with a new inside part._" Diana continues. "_They're called tracer rockets._"

"Never heard of them." Kain says after a few seconds of thought.

"_I made them from a blueprint I found in the Layered archival data. They, wait, I'm getting a priority one message from the cockpit._" Kain frowns, putting on his helmet. Before him, cockpit lights up, all of DK's systems coming online. "_The new UEG defensive line is under attack by a large force of unknown units._" Diana tells him.

"Unknown how?" Kain asks.

"_I'm receiving the data now. They . . ._"

"You okay?" Kain asks when Diana does not reply after several seconds. "Hey, red, wake up!"

"_S-Sorry._" Diana apologizes, her voice a little shaky. "_I, I just had a flashback, one of Andel's memories. These units appear to be old-type AC units._"

"Huh?" Kain asks.

"_I can't explain it._" Diana admits. "_They appear to be large, humanoid MTs with boxy frames. They're weapon payloads are various, but consist of arm and back units. They look like some of the original Isaac City Armored Core units. Andel did some analysis on them when the technology was first put into production, and they almost look the same._"

"Weird." Kain mutter. "How far out are we?"

"_The pilot is banking around to give you a straight shot towards the defensive line._" Diana tells him. "_As soon as the doors are open, take off. The Warlord is already engaging the enemies._" Looking ahead, Kain sees the STORK's bay doors start to open.

"Alright." Kain says, cracking his knuckles. "Let's make this a good one. This is Last Raven in AC Dark Knight. The Reaper's coming." Hitting the boosters as soon as the doors are open, Kain takes off.

Flying out of the STORK's cargo bay, Dark Knight's midnight black paint gleams in the afternoon light, the AC's rounded contours giving it a more humanoid appearance then most other ACs. In the AC's right hand is the y-shaped KAWASARA laser rifle, it's white finish a sharp contrast to Dark Knight's own finish, Diana's new PELLET energy machine gun in the left hand, it's long and slender design making it look more like a rifle then its actual type. Mounted on the AC's shoulders, the infamous DX-06 SHIFTERS booster weapon system: large, rectangular steel gray boosters with rounded edges, blue fire shooting from their bases. Flying forward, a bubble of blue energy briefly forms around the AC before snapping, the Heavy Energy Particle shield now active.

Hitting the OB, Kain checks his map of the area. "Anything coming out of the UEG side?" He asks DK as the OB kicks in, sending them flying forward at over a thousand miles per hour.

"_Lots of chatter._" The AI replies. "_I'm trying to connect with AC Hammerfall now._" Getting close to the ground, Kain cuts the OB and hits the ground boosting. Cresting a hill, Kain sees the battle in the distance. Situated near the beach, the current UEG defensive line is a mess, lasers and ordinance flying both ways as UEG MTs and several ACs are fighting off a large force of the older model AC-style MTs.

"I wonder if those really are MTs?" Kain mutters.

"_I've got Backlash._" DK tells him.

Seconds later, Kain hears the warlord's grunts. "You okay there boss?" Kain asks.

"_Kain!_" Backlash exclaims in surprise. "_What are you doing here? I thought the convoy was at least another hour out?_"

"Oh, you know me." Kain says absently. "I get bored easy, so I decided to come early. I'm approaching from the southeast. Where do you need me?"

"_Anywhere you can thin the ranks._" Backlash grunts. "_These things aren't as bad as the Controller ACs, but they have the numbers. Alliance chatter is designating them as Normals._"

"Got it." Kain tells him. Reaching the edge of the combat zone, Kain takes to the air, and switches the SHIFTERS to cannon mode. The two back boosters rise up over his shoulders as they transform, the tops extending out into long cannon barrels that settle over his shoulders, rectangular flaps opening on the tops and sides at the back. Targeting the first two Normals that come into range, Kain fires the left SHIFTER then the right. Caught by surprise, both machines are hit by their respective columns of energy, staggering them. "What the hell?" Kain exclaims.

"_AP down about eighty percent._" DK reports. "_Though little things._"

"Not tough enough." Kain mutters, switching the SHIFTERS back to booster mode. Firing the KAWASARA, Kain takes out both Normals with a shot each before landing. Boosting forward, he raises his new PELLET machine gun and fires a hail of blue energy rounds at the next Normal as he comes up behind it.

"_They're starting to notice us._" DK warns him, Kain finishing the Normal off with a KAWASARA shot.

"Damn, these bastards are tougher then the average MT." Kain says. Seeing a pair of Normals turning towards him, Kain starts to fire when he realizes that they are sporting large cannons over their right shoulders.

"Whoa!" Kain shouts, quick boosting to the left to avoid a pair of shots from the two cannons. "What the hell are those?" Activating the homing lasers, Kain paints the left-hand normal and fires once all eight missiles are locked. On his back, the central body of the SHIFTERS splits open, revealing four glowing ports on the outer side of each booster. As soon as the ports are clear, eight lances of light come shooting out of the ports, going straight out for half a second before turning towards their target.

"_It's not a grenade launcher._" DK tells Kain as he fires the KAWASARA at the right-hand Normal.

The left hand Normal tries to boost out of the way, but is unable to avoid the eight homing lasers as they connect, destroying it. Putting two more shots into the right-hand Normal to destroy it, Kain sees four more Normals coming towards him on radar. "Lemme know if you figure it out." Kain tells the AI. Quick boosting twice to avoid fire from the incoming Normals, Kain raises both hand weapons and opens fire.

********

Standing at the center of the Alliance Base's C&C, general Daimion Batten watches the battle unfold. A man in his mid-forties, Damion's features are smooth and devoid of emotion, a pair of glasses hanging off his nose, his short black hair greased back. "Sir." One of the C&C officers calls out. "The southern flank is collapsing. We've confirmed sightings of AC Dark Knight."

"So." He says calmly. "The Last Raven has finally made his appearance. I was under the impression the Outer Heaven convoy was still almost an hour out."

"It appears he came ahead of them sir." The same staff member calls out.

"Obviously." Damion says, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Sir." Another officer calls out, this one a young woman. "Call incoming for you from below."

Nodding, Damion goes over to the officer's post. "Put it on." He orders her. The officer complies, and a symbol appears on the screen. A coat of arms, the symbol is of a white shield with a red rose on it, a pair of swords crossed beneath the shield. "Matriarch." Damion greets the caller.

"_I have received a report that the Last Raven has joined the battle._" An elderly woman's soft but stern voice says.

"Correct." Damion agrees. "It appears he came ahead of the rest of the Outer Heaven convoy. I hope this does not, impede your plans."

"_His arrival is an unwelcome complication._" The matriarch says. "_But may not hinder our current time table, assuming the battle is going in our favour?_"

"The Normals have managed to take out forty percent of the UEGs current defensive line." Damion says. "We're projecting a fifty-seven percent loss by the time all units are wiped out. Your Normals are doing much better then originally anticipated."

"_The new AI systems are still inferior._" The Matriach counters, a hint of annoyance in her voice. "_But adequate for this operation. We must continue to keep the UEG forces on the defensive until Motherwill is operational._"

"_Allow me to deal with this, Last Raven._" A new voice offers. Male, the newcomer has a deep baritone voice, one Damion recognizes, and despises.

"_No Belial._" The Matriach replies. "_Continue your observations of the battle. We must be patient._"

"_But what if the Last Raven decides to attack without the UEG? Better to remove him now instead of later._"

"I must agree." Damion says reluctantly. "With the remaining Normals, Belial might-"

"_No._" The Matriarch says firmly. "_We will let the Last Raven have his victory. Once Motherwill is complete, we will strike, and destroy all of our enemies, including the Last Raven._"

********

Watching the last Normal go down, Kain sighs. "Damn, that was a pain. Bastards didn't put up much of a fight though. How we doing DK?"

"_AP at eighty percent._" The AI reports. "_We took some damage to the right arm, mostly the core. I don't know what those cannons were, but I'm glad they all weren't packing them._"

"Damn back-mounted rifles on steroids." Kain says. Seeing no more enemies on radar, Kain checks for any sign of AC Hammerfall. "Get Backlash on the comm." He tells DK. "See if this mess is really over. And while you're at it, find out what damn frequency the UEG is running on."

"_Already have it._" DK replies. "_I've been keeping track of it, but whoever they got calling out the orders has a real whinny voice._"

"Never anything good on the radio these days." Kain sighs. Checking the radar once more, Kain debates doing a quick circuit of the combat area to see if he can find anything interesting, when the Warlord comes through on the one-to-one.

"_Good job Kain._" The Warlord congratulates him. "_It looks like Alliance has pulled back their air support for the time being. Return to base, I've marked the way-point._"

"That was some screwed up kamikaze run they pulled." Kain says. "I thought they didn't have that kind of man power?"

"_They don't._" The warlord replies. "_The Normals were all AI controlled._"

"_Are you serious?_" DK asks, surprised.

"_Diana will have to confirm when she gets here._" Backlash grunts. "_But according to the reports I've been getting as the battle progressed, a recovery team managed to acquire some of the wreckage. There's no cockpit for a human pilot._"

"They couldn't have been remote controlled either." Kain says after some thought. "DK would have picked up the transmissions. We didn't pick up any transmissions did we?"

"_Negative._" DK replies. "_If they are AI units, they were running autonomously._"

"Shit, where did Alliance get that kind of hardware?"

"_Might have something to do with whatever it is they're building._" Backlash says. "_Return to base for debriefing. Diana's toy should be unloaded by the time you get here._"

"It's called an MBU now." Kain informs the warlord as he starts boosting towards the UEG base. Checking his map, Kain adjusts his heading slightly to match the waypoint.

"_Whatever she's calling it now._" The warlord mutters. "_It better be able to give us some answers, and fast._"

********

A short time later, Kain is standing in Dark Knight's right hand as DK lowers him to the ground, both weapons holstered on specially designed mounts located on the AC's hips. Beside the AC is the MBU, the rectangular vehicle standing half as tall as DK on six massive treads, its steel grey finish gleaming slightly in the light. Standing by one of the treads is Diana and the Warlord. "How's Hammerfall holding up?" Kain asks, jumping off a few feet from the ground.

"In need of maintenance." The warlord replies.

"I've done some preliminary examination of the data on the Normal wreckage and the structure in the UEG base." Diana says hesitantly.

"And?" Kain asks after several seconds.

"Well, it's, iffy." She admits. "The Normals were AI driven, but either UEG's technicians pulled the wreckage apart wrong, or theirs something, different about these units."

"Different how?" The warlord asks.

"I'm not sure." Diana admits. "I'll know more once I get a chance to inspect the wreckage myself. As for the structure, it definitely appears to be a small part of something much large."

"We already knew that." Backlash says flatly.

"I cannot pull answers out of thin air sir." Diana tells him pointedly. "Much of the data I've received from the UEG sources is simply in-adequate. There is more speculation and guesswork then actual facts. Once the other half of the MBU arrives, I'll be able to make a more thorough analysis of the Normals, the structure, and whatever data Choirriot and Hammerfall managed to gather during the clash with the bogey you faced."

"I thought it was supposed to be a-" Kain starts to say.

"That is the working theory based on the Kojima particle contamination." Diana points out. "However, we don't have any hard data to confirm. I would be very surprised if it was not a NEXT, but I want to review the data first."

Kain shrugs. "Whatever you say. I need a drink."

"This half of the MBU has the common room." Diana tells him.

"Nice!" Kain says happily. "Catch you two later." He then tells them before heading towards the nearest entrance into the MBU.

"What's your initial take on this situation?" The warlord asks once Kain is gone.

"Not good." Diana replies. "But as I said, I cannot make any definite conclusions until I have had a chance to properly assess the situation."

********

Sitting in his office, Daimion is going over the reports of the last offensive, when his comm. terminal beeps. "Yes?" He says, answering the call.

"_We have a concern._" The Matriarch states.

"What is it?" Daimion asks absently. Not looking up from his report.

"_The Last Raven is much more formidable then originally anticipated. I fear he might be able to interrupt our plans._"

Damion looks over at the terminal screen in surprise, and as usual, sees the Matriarch's symbol displayed. "Really? And you are only finding this out now?"

"_The data you provided us was flawed._" The Matriarch says dismissively. "_Our standards are much different from your own. The Last Raven is a very real threat._"

"As you had been told countless times before!" Damion snaps. "And you continued to ignore our warnings. Well, now that you've finally come to realize the gravity of the situation, do you have any suggestions on how to proceed?"

There is a long pause before the Matriarch answers. "_What is the status of the UEG forces?_"

"In shambles for the most part." Damion replies. "Though they did keep two of their ACs in reserve. I've also received confirmation that the bulk of Outer Heaven's AC assets have arrived and are deploying as we speak. As expected, the warlord was not as easy to fool as the UEG. They will prove to be our greatest threat. Other then that, one more good offensive will break the UEG forces in this region."

"_Then our plan was successful?_"

"Quite." Damion replies. "The UEG commander has pulled all available forces in this region to the Panakair coast. The last of the re-enforcements should arrive along the projected timetable. Everything should go according to plan, assuming the Last Raven does not screw it up."

"_Belial is already making preparations for launch._" The Matriarch tells him. "_I have also commandeered several of the ballistic missile launchers for use._"

"I hope you do not intend to break the UEG line now." Damion says warningly.

"_No. The line will remain intact as per the plan, though it will need to be stirred. Do not concern yourself with this operation. I will see to the Last Raven._"

"I hope you do not continue to under-estimate him Matriarch." Daimion tells her. "Belial may be one of your best, but the Last Raven is one of the best on Earth." The Matriarch does not reply, instead ending the conversation, her symbol disappearing from the screen. "Well." Daimion chuckles. "This should be quite, interesting."

********

A few hours after the battle, Kain, helmet left in the core and night black flight suit unzipped, is sitting in the MBU's common room, working on his eight beer when Diana, Sumika, and the warlord enter the room. "What's the word?" Kain asks, saluting them with his bottle.

"Now's not the time to be drinking Kain." Sumika tells him.

"Like this stuff'll give me a buzz." Kain mutters. "Felt the MBU shake awhile ago. Guessing we're in business?"

"Dark Knight's already been patched." Diana tells him. "Working on Hammerfall now." The red head sighs. "The UEG mechanics don't know how to repair an AC."

"The facilities here are not that good to start with." Backlash counters, taking a seat at the table. "UEG command hasn't been taking the situation in this region too seriously."

Kain shrugs. "Whatever. So, anything new?"

"Maybe." Sumika says, also taking a seat. "I've been talking to some of my UEG contacts. Apparently, before this all started, UEG picked up intel on massive shipments of supplies and construction materials being sent to this base. They also dug up some aerial surveillance photos of the region from two years ago. Get this, the entire Alliance Base used to be ocean."

"Say what?" Kain asks, surprised.

Sumika hands him a photo showing the Panakair coast. "The original coastline ended about half a click from the Alliance base's current perimeter."

Looking at the picture, Kain frowns. "Okay. So, Alliance built a base over the water, so what?"

"Doing something like this, without arousing suspicion from the UEG is a major engineering feet in itself." Diana tells him. "But the fact is, the base is not over water. I sent one of my recon MTs to do a high altitude scan of the Alliance Base. There is something very big under the base. My guess, is that they created an artificial canyon, and somehow covered it over to look like it's a part of the coast. After that, it would just be a matter of pumping out the water."

Kain tosses the picture onto the table, and leans back. "But for what?" He asks. "This seems like a hell of a lot of work."

"More importantly, this kind of construction should have taken more then two years to accomplish." Diana says. "By current technology at any rate."

"I don't like where this is going." Backlash says, mulling over the information.

"It is the only thing I can think of." Diana says, her voice starting to sound cold and emotionless. "When the Layereds were first built, the Controller assisted in creating the technologies and techniques necessary to do large scale excavations in short amounts of time. By conventional means, it would have taken decades to excavate the underground regions necessary to build the sectors, much less carry out the actual construction."

"How does this connect to the Kojima contamination?" Kain asks.

"I do not know." Diana admits. "But one thing is certain: all of the signs point to some sort of involvement by the Controller."

"But we killed it!" Sumika exclaims. "The whole thing went under, and we got a city-sized crater in the middle of the continent!"

"Correct." Diana agrees. "And I do not believe there is a Controller still in existence. Rather, I believe that the Alliance somehow acquired a large amount of data from the Layered prior to its destruction, most likely, a backup."

Kain curses under his breath, slamming his now empty bottle onto the table. "Great, just what we need. Anymore good news?"

"I've completed my analysis of the Normal wreckage the UEG managed to salvage." Diana says. "It appears that the cores were originally designed for human pilots. However, in their attempt to convert them into AI driven units, the Alliance engineers modified the design. Somewhat sloppily I might add, but sufficient enough to fully automate the Normals. I believe that they are somehow being mass-produced beneath the Alliance Base. There is also-" Diana is interrupted by siren going off. "We're under attack!" Diana exclaims.

"_No kidding!_" DK's voice shouts in his ear. "_There's a lot of missiles coming our way! Get out here!_" Before DK is halfway through her first sentence, Kain is already running towards the door. Seconds after that, Kain reaches the nearest exit hatch, and runs out onto one of the MBU's observation decks. Cursing when he realizes that he is on the wrong side of the MBU to see the Alliance Base, Kain starts to shout at DK for her position, when the AC in question lands before him. Not hesitating, Kain climbs over the railing and leaps into the air, Dark Knight's left hand moving up to catch him.

As Kain rises up to the core hatch, he catches glimpse of the missiles in the distance, one of them striking the ground roughly several dozen meters short of the first defensive turret. "What the hell was that?" Kain asks, dropping down into the cockpit. "Did that missile just miss?"

"_Affirmative._" DK replies as Kain starts zipping up his flight suit. "_Deliberately too. AA fire missed it altogether._" Pulling his helmet on as the cockpit comes to life, Kain checks the radar, and sees more missiles raining down around the UEG lines, and a few striking within the base itself, but none of them doing any damage. "_They're intentionally missing._" DK tells him.

"Probably trying to get our attention or just shake us up." Kain mutters, taking the controls. Boosting around the MBU, Kain heads towards the base perimeter. "Tell the others to hang back." He tells DK. "You picking up any Alliance chatter?"

"_Nothing._" DK replies. "_But the missiles definitely came from their, wait, I'm picking up a signal. Pinpointing now._" Checking his area map, Kain sees a new mark appear roughly midway between the Alliance base and the current UEG defensive line.

"Any idea what it is?" Kain asks.

"_Not sure._" DK replies. "_But the signal's in the really upper band. Only me and the MBUs can pick it up right now. Maybe Desperado if Sumika's working her sensors._"

"Sounds like we just got called out." Kain says.

"_I got a bad feeling about this._" DK warns him.

"There ever a good feeling about these things?" Kain counters.

"_Not really._" DK admits.

"I have a feeling we're going to meet Megan's bogey." Kain tells DK. "Have the others hang back about midway from the signal's location, and tell'em to get ready for three-oscar-five."

"_Three-oscar-five?_" DK asks. "_What about two-oscar-nine?_" Kain shakes his head.

"Three-oscar-five. I get the feeling this one's gonna be big."


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 – Between a NEXT and a Hard Place

"_Thank you for speaking with me at this time Matirach._"

"_Tell me child, what troubles you?_"

"_With greatest respect Matriarch, you should not have sent Belial out._"

"_Why do you concern yourself with this my child?_"

"_Again, with greatest respect Matriarch, I fear that you and the first are grossly underestimating the armored cores of this world. Though their individual strength falls short of our NEXTs, their combined strength could be a force to match ours._"

"_Continue my child._"

"_I have studied the data provided to us concerning the Last Raven. I feel that we have yet to see his full potential. I ask that you let me take to the field Matriarch. Let me slay this Raven._"

"_No my child. You are my second, and with your sister away, it falls to you to protect our sword. Belial will deal with the Last Raven. Have faith my child._"

"_Forgive me Matriarch, but I cannot. Belial is an arrogant fool. He will fail, I am certain of it._"

"_Are you prepared to risk your place on this my child? For certainly, others would say you speak treasonously._"

"_I do not speak in treason Matriarch, but concern. If Belial fails, his loss could rally the UEG forces for an assault on our position. We have already spent the bulk of our forces in the last assault Matriarch. With what remains at ready, a full assault could ruin us. It could break the spirit._"

"_Were it anyone else who speaks this way my child. . . I will not let you take to the field yet. We will allow Belial to play his game. Though his arrogance is indeed great, he has not yet failed us. However, should he face defeat, you will take to the field, and retrieve him. Above all else the spirit must rise, or all our efforts until now will be for naught. But if you are wrong my child, you will suffer the consequences._"

"_I pray that I am wrong Matriarch, and will gladly accept my fate should my doubts be proven false. But that which makes me your shield, tells me that I am not, and that the Last Raven will win this battle._"

********

Coming to a stop at the remnants of the original UEG battle line, Kain checks his radar. "_You see that right?_" DK asks him.

"Yup." Kain replies, watching the contact near the mid-range of Dark Knight's radar. "Just outside of the range of conventional radar. Either this guy's toying with us, or he's an idiot. Any sign of him yet?"

"_Negative._" DK replies. "_He's hiding behind some debris up ahead. Alliance must have seeded the area with it near their base before the UEG forces got here. There's more then enough room for something as big as a NEXT to hide. Looks like UEG cleared the debris on their side when they got here._" Nodding, Kain debates what to do, when the bogey suddenly moves on radar. Watching it carefully, Kain anticipates its attack and reacts, easily dodging the long-range ballistic attack. Boosting right to avoid it, Kain boosts left, then backwards to avoid the next too.

"Come on buddy." Kain calls out, using the general frequency. "You're going to have to do better then that if you want to hit me." Seconds after he finishes speaking, Kain sees missile contacts appear on his radar. Boosting into the air, Kain quick boosts several times to avoid the projectiles, landing roughly in the same place he had started in. Yawning audibly, Kain waits for the next attack. After almost half a minute later, Kain frowns, and checks his radar to see that the Bogey has moved further back, near the edge of his radar range, well beyond the normal range of conventional ACs.

"God I hope this isn't it." Kain mutters, still using the general frequency. "I mean, from what I heard about you guys, you're supposed to be real dangerous, but come on! I've chewed up rookies with more balls then-"

"_You think this a game boy?_" A deep, baritone voice asks.

"Well it sure as shit haven't gotten serious yet." Kain replies. "Maybe you should put up or shut up." The voice laughs mockingly.

"_He's coming._" DK warns him. Checking the radar himself, Kain sees the bogey flying towards them fast. Looking up at the screen, Kain has just enough time to boost backwards in order to avoid getting trampled by the massive AC as it comes slamming down into the ground where he was standing.

"Damn." Kain mutters when he gets a good look at his opponent. "Diana wasn't kidding: That thing's huge!"

DK's head barely reaches the NEXT's chest as it looks down at them. Standing on reverse-jointed legs, the Large NEXT has a blood red paint job with black undertones, the NEXT looks like an exaggerated medium weight craft. In its right hand, the AC holds a long sniper rifle, and what looks like a small machinegun with an extended clip in the left hand. On its back left is a massive cannon that Kain assumes was the source of the long-range ballistic attacks.

"Is that a missile launcher on the right shoulder?" Kain asks, looking at the large, four-barreled weapon sported on the NEXT's right back.

"_I think so._" DK replies. "_Those half circle shoulder extensions are giving off kojima particle emissions. It's weird, but I'm also getting some kind of identification signal from the NEXT. It's called Dead Eye, and it's designated as a Saubees, whatever that means._" Kain nods absently, looking up to meet the NEXT's bright red gaze."_Kojima particle emissions are in the danger zones._" DK warns him. "_His primal armor is definitely active. You should be fine though._"

"_So this, is the Last Raven._" The pilot of the NEXT chuckles.

"Gonna introduce yourself?" Kain asks. "Or should I just keep calling you buddy?"

"_I am Belial._" The pilot introduces himself. "_And I am disappointed. I was expecting something, bigger. You're no different then the rest of the Normals your pathetic forces call ACs._"

"Boy are you going to eat those words in a minute." Kain says. "But I got to know: Where the hell did you get your tech? Kojima particles haven't even been discovered on Earth."

Belial points his machine gun at them. "_What makes you think you're worthy of even being in my presence? You think you can challenge the Order with such arrogance and live?_"

"Order?" Kain asks. "Details buddy, details." Belial answers with a burst of fire from his machinegun. Quick boosting as the rounds leave the barrel, Kain avoids the opening salvo, and fires the KAWASARA in retaliation. Belial quick boosts away from him to avoid the energy round, signalling the beginning of the battle.

*********

"_Kain has engaged the enemy._" Diana reports. "_We have confirmation that the AC matches the specifications for a NEXT-type unit._" Hearing this, Megan feels a worm of fear building in her stomach.

"_Kain can take him._" Midas says confidently over the Outer Heaven frequency. Checking her radar, Megan sees Kain moving ahead of them.

"_Don't._" Backlash warns her, his voice coming through the one-to-one as though he were reading her mind. "_Kain can handle himself. You won't do anything but slow him down. Remember the plan, and wait for the signal._"

"Yes sir." Megan replies, the worm of fear building up into a knot as a series of explosion rip through the area ahead of them.

*********

Boosting into the air, Kain barely manages to avoid the last salvo of missiles. "Damn those things are fast!" He exclaims. Checking his radar, Kain sees that Belial has taken up position behind him. Dropping back down to the ground, Kain takes shelter behind one of the large pieces of debris, a sniper round impacting against the other side of the large stone. "How we doing?" He asks DK.

"_I don't know._" The AI replies. "_I've been picking up fluctuations in the kojima particle count around the AC. It seems like its regenerating._" Kain curses under his breath as he boosts out of hiding. Catching sight of the NEXT, Kain fires both hand weapons. "_There is some good new though."_ DK tells him. "_The primal armor isn't completely blocking all the-_"

"I saw." Kain cuts in. "Some of the rounds are getting through, but we still got to get rid of that damn armor if we want to take him down." Going back into hiding, Kain spots Dead Eye taking to the air, no doubt to launch another salvo of missiles. Switching the SHIFTERs to cannon mode, Kain follows the NEXT into the air. Seeing him, Dead-Eye raises his sniper rifle and fires, but Kain boosts sideways to avoid it, then fires both cannons in retaliation. Not trying to dodge, Belial takes the hit, the twin columns of energy bypassing the primal armor and striking the NEXT in the chest, knocking him back slightly. "Whoa!" Kain exclaims, the next quickly backing away. "What just happened there?"

"_Kojima particle count dropped real fast._" DK replies. "_Not sure why, wait, Diana's calling on the one-to-one._" Nodding, Kain activates the comm. frequency as he drops back down towards the ground and behind cover, the SHIFTERs switching back to booster mode.

"_I've uploaded several new alignment protocols for you energy weapons._" Diana tells him. "_The new protocols will change the variance of the beam enough to disrupt the primal armor's particle cohesion._"

"We noticed." Kain says, boosting out from behind his cover when no retaliation fire comes his way. Seeing Belial a ways from him, Kain starts boosting towards them.

"_KAWASARA and PELLET offline._" DK informs him. "_Alignment's going to take a minute._"

"But he doesn't know that." Kain says, seeing Belial starting to move again. Coming around another chunk of debris, Kain spots the NEXT, and quick boosts forward to avoid a flock of missiles that come streaking down from above. Getting a lock with the homing lasers, Kain takes to the air as he fires a volley, then switches the SHIFTERs back to cannon mode. Seeing this, Belial starts boosting away from Kain, firing his machinegun at the smaller AC. Avoiding the rapid fire rounds, Kain fires the left cannon slightly off target, then the right. Boosting to avoid the left shot, Belial takes the second round to the left arm, dozens of small lights starting to dance around the NEXT in a bubble shape.

Taking a chance, Kain fires the SHIFTERs again as soon as they are charged, but Belial, already a step ahead of him, activates his OB and goes shooting by him before the twin columns of energy have a chance to fully leave the cannons. "Damn!" Kain curses, following after the NEXT as the SHIFTERs go back to booster mode. Ahead of him, Belial cuts his OB, and spins around in midair, the massive sniper cannon dropping into place. Seeing it, Kain starts to dodge right, and the high-powered round nicks the HEP shield, knocking it out.

"_HEP Shield recharging!_" DK warns him.

"What the hell are they packing into those things?" Kain shouts, dropping back down towards the ground, dodging another round from the cannon in the process.

"_Today you die Raven._" Belial declares over the general frequency.

"You know, I can't remember how many people have said that to me over the years." Kain replies. "Maybe one of these days, someone's gonna be able to put their credits where their mouth it!" Locking onto Belial's NEXT, Kain fires a volley of homing lasers before ducking back behind cover. Avoiding the lasers, Belial comes down towards Kain's hiding spot, a hail of machinegun rounds heralding his approach.

Seeing them impact against the stone cover, Kain quick boosts away from the debris as it Belial lands, the weight of the NEXT shattering the debris under it to rubble. Cursing, Kain boosts left to avoid more machine gun rounds, and then right to avoid a round from the sniper rifle.

"_Stand still!_" Belial shouts when Kain comes right up to him.

"Make me!" Kain retorts, activating his tracer rocket inside parts. Hatches on Dark Knight's circular shoulders spring open, revealing a honeycomb of small rockets. Firing as he walks backwards from the NEXT, Kain watches as dozens of the small projectiles shoot from the racks and go streaking towards the Belial.

Caught by surprise, Belial takes the first dozen rounds to his primal armor, then quick boosts to the right, the last three rockets hitting him punching completely through his primal armor and impacting against the lower part of the core. Turning to follow the fleeing NEXT, Kain stops firing the rapid fire rockets when he sees the NEXT is beyond their range. "That, was nice." Kain declares, Dark Knight's hand weapons now back online. Boosting after the Belial, Kain fires a pair of rounds from the KAWASARA. His back to another piece of debris, Belial is forced to take both hits, the first knocking out his primal armor, before he takes to the air. "That should be good." Kain says quietly, then on the general frequency. "Alright buddy, you look like you've been kicked around enough for today. Come back tomorrow if you need another beating." Taking to the air, Kain activates his OB, and starts flying towards the rendezvous point. "Did Diana send those protocols to the others?" Kain asks.

"_Yes._" DK replies. "_The trap is set, they're just waiting for the cheese and the rat._" Chuckling, Kain sends the signal.

********

Seeing DK's signal, Megan finishes powering up her AC. "_They're coming in fast!_" Midas warns them.

"_Fire as soon as Kain passes us._" Backlash instructs them. "_Amazon, as soon as we make contact, move out._"

"Understood." Megan replies. A second later, Kain's AC appears on her radar. Less then a second after that, she sees him go shooting by overhead, his OB disengaging. "_Fire!_" Backlash shouts, the NEXT now in sight and weapons range. From their hiding places, the warlord, Midas, Maya, and Sumika all fire at the approaching NEXT. Caught by surprise, the NEXT is unable to avoid the hail of ordinance being fired at him.

"_Keep him off balance!_" Kain shouts over the comm. unit. "_And don't let those fucking cannon rounds hit you!_" Taking to the air as the NEXT starts to drop from the sky, Megan locks on, and fires her KINNARA, her NIX machinegun putting a steady stream of rounds into the huge machine as she approaches it.

Seeing her coming, the NEXT points its own machinegun at her and fires as it hits the ground hard. Seeing this, Maya come out of hiding, firing her CR-WBW98G. The salvos of dual grenades hit the NEXT hard, its regenerating primal armor once more knocked out. "_Keep the pressure up!_" Kain shouts as Megan boosts to avoid the machinegun fire. Getting behind the NEXT, she unleashes another salvo from her KINNARA, the NIX pausing for several seconds to change clips before once more letting out a stream of lead.

Further below, the warlord comes out of hiding, his linear cannon already primed to fire. Her grenades exhausted, Maya goes back into hiding as The NEXT fires his sniper rifle at her. Not giving him a moment to relax, Backlash fires his LX cannon, the column of energy striking the NEXT hard, knock it back several steps. "_Finish him Midas!_" Backlash calls out. Coming out of hiding, Midas comes out of hiding, the large, long-barrelled rifle with open sides in Crusher's left hand humming as it charges to fire.

"_Incoming missiles!_" Sumika warns them. Landing to recharge her condenser, Megan sees the cluster flying past her. Raising his weapon to fire, Midas is unable to avoid the salvo as they strike.

********

"Midas!" Kain calls out when AC disappears in the multiple explosions. On the comm., everyone can hearing the large man scream in pain.

"_Midas!_" Maya cries out, Albatross already moving towards her new husband's AC. Cursing, the warlord fires another round from his cannon into the NEXT, Sumika coming out of hiding to support him with fire from her own back mounted grenade launcher. It only takes three grenades before the NEXT drops down, smoke rising from the core.

"_Enemy NEXT inc-_" Megan starts to say when a white blur goes shooting by. Caught by surprise, Kain barely has time to quickboost to the right to avoid the blur.

"_AP down to 80%!_" DK warns him. "_HEP shield charging._"

"What the hell hit us?" Kain asks in surprise, spinning the AC around and landing. The second NEXT spins around to face him as it lands. White with some black undertones, the NEXT stands tall and proud, its slightly rounded contours reminiscent of Dark Knight's own design. On its back, what appear to be two long, slender wings retract, forming a pair of rectangular pods on the back behind the shoulders, each one capped with what looks like a missile launcher. In each hand, the NEXT carries a sleek, black rifle, each one a slightly different make then the other. The wedge-shaped head sports a series of blue eyes going across around the middle, a thin, horn-like antennae coming out of the front top of the head and pointing straight ahead.

"You getting anything from this one?" Kain asks DK.

"_Negative._" The AI replies. "_I think the other one was stock._"

"Figures." Kain snorts, then switches to the general frequency. "Alright whitey, identify yourself."

"_I am White Glint._" A female voice replies, surprising him. "_Your victory is to be commended Last Raven. Your trap was masterfully set. However, the Matriarch demands that Belial be returned to her, alive._" White Glint points her right-hand rifle at Kain. "_Withdraw now and I will not harm you._"

"_Think we can take her?_" DK asks.

"Dunno." Kain replies, frowning. "I get the feeling she's a lot tougher then bubbles down there."

"_Bubbles?_" DK asks.

"You know who I'm talking about." Kain growls.

"_Midas is still alive._" Backlash reports. "_But he's hurt bad. We need to call for transport._"

"The lady wants her Bubbles back." Kain tells the warlord. "How you wanna do this?" Before the warlord cam reply, Kain hears the screeching of metal on metal come from the external audio. "What the hell was that?" He exclaims, turning. On the ground, Belial's NEXT is struggling to its feet, the sniper cannon dropping down into position. "Shoot him!" Kain shouts, switching the SHIFTERs to cannon mode. Dropping down from her perch above the NEXT, Megan fires both hand weapons as she lands on top of the NEXT as it fires. Though the aim is off, the round impacts against Crusher's tank legs, the AC now starting to smoke dangerously.

"_Look out!_" DK warns him as she quick boosts to avoid a shot from White Glint's rifle. Spinning around, Kain fires the SHIFTERs at the NEXT, but White Glint is already gone, her NEXT airborne.

"_It's in the air!_" Sumika shouts.

"_They're both in the air!_" Megan corrects.

"_All units cover Midas!_" Backlash orders. "_Kain, take that NEXT offline!_"

"Which one?" Kain asks, avoiding a three-shot burst from White Glint's left-hand rifle. Taking to the air, Kain fires the twin cannons again, but White Glint easily dodges. Cursing, he switches them back to booster mode, and takes off after the next, firing the KAWASARA and PELLET.

"_Condenser!_" DK warns him.

"I can see it damnit!" Kain shouts. Firing one last shot from the KAWASARA, Kain cuts his boosters and lets the AC fall towards the ground. Seeing this, White Glint follows him down, firing rounds from both rifles. Quick boosting forward, Kain avoids the rounds and gets under the other machine. Raising the PELLET, he fires the machinegun, but the energy rounds too weak to pierce White Glint's primal armor.

Quick boosting twice, White Glint turns to face him. As soon as she is in sight, Kain locks on with the homing lasers and fires, following with a shot from the KAWASARA. Dodging all lasers, White Glint activates her own missile launchers, each one firing a single missile at him. Hitting the ground, Kain starts boosting backwards, but curses when he sees the two missiles spilt apart into more then a dozen smaller projectiles. Punching the OB, Kain keeps boosting backwards as it charges, then rockets forward, the missiles impacting the ground where he had been a scant second before.

Shooting towards White Glint, Kain takes to the air, and spares a brief second to glance towards the others. Now in the air, Belial is raining missiles down towards the ground, Midas, the warlord, and the others outside his current range of vision. "_You should have heeded my warning._" White Glint tells him.

"Hey!" Kain shouts. "It was your guy who shot first!" Cutting his OB, Kain fires the KAWASARA at White Glint, Hitting her primal armor as she boosts out of the way. "Damn she's fast." He growls, following her down towards the ground.

"H_e's getting away!_" Sumika shouts on the comm..

"_Kill him!_" Maya roars, a sound that surprises Kain. Landing, he fires both hand weapons at White Glint as she boosts side ways.

"She's faster then us." Kain says, quick boosting to avoid fire from the NEXT. "But let see if she's quick. Hitting his OB, Kain drops the PELLET.

"_Wait!_" DK shouts as the OB kicks in. "_Don't come in contact with the primal armor!_"

Activating the left hand laser blade, Kain slashes the blade along the primal armor as he goes shooting by, the blade cutting through the shield with no resistance. Cutting the OB as soon as he is past the NEXT, Kain spins around, switching the SHIFTERs to cannon mode. "What the?" Kain exclaims when he sees Amazon land by the NEXT, firing both of her hand weapons and blocking the clear shot he had moments before. "Get out of the way!" Kain shouts. Ignoring the small arms fire from the lightweight AC, White Glint takes to the air. Cursing, Kain tracks her with the SHIFTER cannons, but has to hold his fire to avoid hitting Megan as she takes off after the NEXT. Cursing, Kain switches the SHIFTERs back to boosters as he takes to the air in pursuit.

"_Megan's barely scratching that thing._" DK tells her.

"She's going to get blown to shit if she doesn't-" Seeing White Glint aim her left hand rifle at Megan's AC, Kain curses and flies towards the two. "Drop!" Kain shouts as he puts Dark Knight between the two. White Glint fires once, hitting the AC in the core, and the screen before Kain breaks into static, several cracks spider-webbing across it.

"Where is she?" Kain asks frantically as he works to switch to one of the secondary screens. DK does not reply, the AC suddenly quick boosting left, then right, followed by the impact of another of White Glint's rifle rounds.

"_I can't shake her!_" DK tells him.

"Then give me something to see with!" Feeling another hit, Kain grimaces, looking for something that will let him see what is going on outside of the cockpit, when the screen to his left suddenly lights up. Seeing White Glint firing another pair of the deadly multi-missiles, Kain curses as he banks hard to the right, dropping. "Oh shit!" Quick boosting right, Kain kills the boosters, letting the AC drop. The missiles split apart, the smaller projectiles coming at him. Gritting his teeth, Kain waits until the very last second, then quick boosts forward twice, the blast from the explosions draining the HEP shield slightly, but otherwise leaving him intact.

"_You are damaged._" White Glint states.

"We're having some technical difficulties." Kain admits. "But they're taken care of now." Flying further up into the air, White Glint backs away from Kain.

Frowning, Kain checks his radar, and realizes that Belial is no longer in range. "_I commend you Last Raven._" White Glint tells him. "_Risking your life to save your comrade. I look forward to our next battle._" With that, White Glint turns in place, the bottom half of the flight pods extending out, once more forming wings. Cursing under his breath, Kain watches as the NEXT over boosts back towards the Alliance base.

"_Status Kain!_" Backlash calls out.

"I'm in one piece." Kain growls angrily. "Mostly. Main screen is damaged. Little banged up, but nothing too serious. What happened with Bubbles?"

"_Don't know about his weapons, but his boosters were working better then we thought they were._" Sumika says.

"_Evac transport inbound._" Maya reports.

"_Hang on Midas! You promised me a honeymoon I would never forget!_"

Listening, Kain can barely hear some weak laughter coming from somewhere, presumably AC Crusher. "Good to hear your alive Midas."

"_You, sure I still am?_" The big man asks weakly. Before he can reply, Maya cuts in, trying to get as much information as she can on his current condition. Ignoring the two for the moment, Kain checks his systems, and sees that the one-to-one is flashing.

"_It's Megan._" DK tells him. "_Wasn't sure if you wanted to talk to her yet._" Sighing, Kain flips on the one-to-one.

"_Are you alright?_" Megan asks worriedly.

"What the hell were thinking?" Kain demands. "You coulda got your core blown to shit if she had shot you!"

"_I-I'm sorry._" Megan says. "_I just thought-_"

"That wasn't thinking." Kain growls angrily. "That was you being stupid. We'll talk later. Right now, we have to get Midas back to base." Kain closes the one-to-one, not wanting to risk saying anything else he might regret later. "Damnit." He growls. "What the hell was she thinking?"

********

"_It seems your predictions came true my child. This Last Raven continues to impress._"

"_He is a formidable opponent Matriarch. I am certain that he could have easily bested Belial without the aid of his comrades in arms. No doubt the word of their victory will raise the morale of the UEG forces._"

"_Yes, we have grossly underestimated the situation. No matter, our time is almost nigh. Soon Motherwill will come alive, and rise up to crush those who stand against us. In the meantime, prepare our defenses. I expect the Last Raven to come calling upon us soon._"

"_What of Belial matriarch? Should his failure go unpunished?_"

"_His pride will be punishment enough for this transgression. Though he failed quite miserably to defeat the Last Raven, his failure gave us valuable insight into the mind of our enemy. See to it that his NEXT is repaired. He may be needed in the coming battle._"

"_By your will matriarch._"


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 – Motherwill Rising

Standing on the ground, Kain watches as the top segments of the two MBUs rise up on giant hydraulic arms. Swinging open, the two halves come to a stop at a ninety-degree angle to the ground, then move forward, encircling Dark Knight. As the two halves come together, a series of loud metallic impacts can be heard that make Kain wince. "Locking seals." Sumika tells him as she approaches. "Once the gantries are in place, the air gets vented out. Something about the airless environment keeping everything clean." Sumika shrugs.

"Come to think of it, you and Diana have been spending a lot of time together." Kain muses.

"Maybe you should be worrying about your own relations." Sumika tells him pointedly. "Ran into Megan on the way out. She looked pretty pissed."

Kain snorts, crossing his arms over his chest. "She's pissed? Damnit, I would have had whitey if she hadn't gotten in the line of fire. She's got to stop trying to show me up and start fighting smart."

"Wait, she got between you and the NEXT?" Sumika asks, surprised.

"Yeah." Kain grunts. "Don't know what the hell she was thinking. How's Midas doing?"

"He got chewed up good." Sumika replies. "Couple of broken ribs, burns, broken arm. Part of his cockpit caved in, broke his left leg. No internal damage though. Maya's up in the MBUs infirmary watching him. I will never understand that one."

Kain nods in agreement. "Hot little spitfire one second, happy homemaker the next. Makes you wonder who's gonna wear the pants in that family."

"Briefing in fifteen minutes." Sumika tells him after checking her watch. "You might want to talk to Megan before that."

Sighing, Kain heads for the right hand MBU, the one Diana has designated alpha. Finding the lift, Kain goes up to one of the several doors into the massive vehicle. Once inside, he makes his way up to the observation deck, and finds Megan staring out towards the battlefield. "You know." Kain says, surprising her. "This is starting to get real old."

Turning to face him, an angry look settles on Megan's face. "I can handle myself." She tells him.

"You don't need to tell me that. Hell, piloting alone, your simulation scores are higher then mine. But Choirriot is just an AC."

"Just an AC?" Megan asks bitterly.

"You know what I mean." He tells her. "If it wasn't for the HEP shield, I would have taken a lot more damage then I had. Belial would have been good if he hadn't been so cocky, but that other one, White Glint, she was on par with me."

"She?" Megan asks.

"Yeah." Kain replies, his response seeming to anger her.

"Of course, why wouldn't it be another woman." Megan growls.

"Hey!" Kain shouts. "What is your problem?"

"It's not fair!" Megan shouts. "I should not have to always be left behind on missions! I should be fighting with you!"

"I know." Kain tells her. "But the simple fact is, there isn't another AC out there that can keep up with Dark Knight."

Megan sighs. "I know." She says. "It is just not fair." Shaking her head, Megan walks past him. "I will see you at the briefing." Kain reaches out to stop her, but Megan avoids his touch, and leaves the observation deck.

"_That went well._" DK says.

"Oh, and you could have done better?" Kain asks.

"_Just saying._" DK says defensively. "_Compared to some of your other fights._"

"Not much to fight about." Kain sighs, going to the window to look out.

"_Sometimes you just can't win._" DK tells him. "_Repairs should be done in twenty. Something's going on though: UEG forces are doing a full mobilization._"

"Now that we've shown everyone those NEXTs can be handled, the UEG brass are probably thinking they can take the base now." Kain frowns in thought for several seconds. "I don't know though: Alliance still has something big up their sleeve. Hope Diana was able to come up with some new intel on whatever it is they're building over there."

********

Sitting in his office, Damien is looking over the lasted reconnaissance reports when his comm. terminal beeps. "Something troubling you matriarch?" Damion asks, not bothering to look at the monitor.

"_The UEG forces are preparing for a new offensive._" She replies. "_Our estimations show that they will launch their offensive before we are prepared._"

"Yes, I have already read the report. Will Belial's NEXT be repaired in time?"

"_No, he will not be online until motherwill awakens._"

Damion nods. "I see. How unfortunate for him." Damion leans back in his chair, pondering the situation for several seconds. "It seems that we will have no choice but to deploy the Alliance forces along the base perimeter. I doubt your White Glint alone will be able to handle the UEG forces, and the Last Raven."

"_If you do this._" The Matriarch warns him. "_They may perish when motherwill awakens._"

"Only if they cannot fly." Damion chuckles. "Fortunately, we have several squads of BAT MTs. This, along with the existing defensive turrets should buy us the time we need. And once The Spirit of Motherwill has risen, we will show the world who is truly in control."

"_Yes._" The matriarch agrees. "_That, we most certainly will._"

********

Entering the Briefing room, Kain sees everyone, including Maya, much to his surprise, present and seated. At the front of the room, Diana is skimming through the contents of a datapad. "What's the word?" Kain asks.

"UEG's getting ready for a major offensive." Diana replies. "Corporal Tanner believes that with one of the NEXTs offline and the other damaged, we should be able to storm the Alliance base and seize control; UEG Intelligence estimate that the Alliance is down to several squadrons of MT10-BATs and basic OSTRICH units. However, the defenses ringing the base are extensive, and are cause for concern. Our role in the mission, along with three other UEG ACs, is to cripple the ground defenses so that the MT and armor can enter the base to secure it. Should either of the two NEXTs join the battle, it will be our mission, or more specifically, Kain's mission, to destroy them."

"That could be tricky." Kain says, taking a seat. "Belial was easy enough because he was cocky, but if he gets serious, he could be a real threat. White Glint though, she's going to be a tough nut to crack. I doubt I'll be able to handle them both at once."

Warlord Backlash nods in agreement. "We should also assume that the NEXT pilots will mark us as high-priority targets, or at least keep us separated so we can't concentrate our fire like we did last time. I've spoken with the UEG commander, and he assures me that if the NEXTs do appear, their ACs will join us in the fight against them."

"I have also completed modifications to the various energy weapons your ACs equip." Diana adds. "By changing the alignment of the lenses and other necessary parts, I've changed the beam variance so that they will be able to more effectively penetrate the primal armor. However, Dark Knight is the only AC properly shielded against Kojima Particle contamination, so I suggest you keep your distance from the NEXTs."

"What is the minimum safe distance?" Megan asks.

"Variable." Diana replies. "When the primal armor is weak or taken out completely, the NEXT discharges a large quantity of Kojima Particles in order to replenish the primal armor. Fallout from the discharge can have considerable range based on environmental factors. Also bare in mind that direct contact with Kojima Particles will degrade your AC's armor."

"If that stuff is so nasty." Sumika asks. "Why are they using it?"

"You can add that question to the pile." Kain mutters. "If we can capture the base, I'm sure we'll be able to learn a lot of interesting things."

"Have you made any progress on identifying that structure?" Backlash asks Diana.

"No." She replies. "The area around it is heavily shielded, but by what is above ground, I can only assume that it is a small part of some sort of massive structure, perhaps a fort or new base. Given the orientation of the cannons, I believe that once it is completed, it will rise up from the ground in someway."

"Let's say it becomes operational." Sumika asks. "How do we destroy it?"

"Unknown." Diana replies, shrugging. "My best guess would be to enter the facility and attempt to destroy its power core. Should it come online, I will be able to collect additional data from the sensors on your ACs. Once I have new data, I will keep you apprised of the situation."

"Alright." Backlash declares, getting to his feet. "This is it. UEG is making an all or nothing push this time. If we win, we will have destroyed one of Alliance's last few strongholds."

"And if we lose." Kain adds. "We can put our heads between our legs and kiss our asses good-bye."

"Then don't lose." Backlash tells him angrily. "The assault begins on the hour. Maya, you're with me. Sumika, you're with Megan. Kain, try not to get yourself killed out there."

"Don't worry." Kain chuckles. "I won't be punching out anytime soon." From her seat, Megan frowns, worry starting to build in her once more.

********

Sitting in Desperado's cockpit, Sumika is doing a final system check before they are scheduled to begin the operation. "So what's going on between you and Kain?" Sumika asks idly, Megan currently set on her one-to-one.

"_Nothing._" Megan replies quickly.

"That's not what I heard." Sumika says.

"_And I suppose Kain has been talking?_" Megan asks testily.

"Nope." Sumika chuckles. "But most of Mars base is. You may not want to believe it, but you two make up for half the good gossip going around lately." Though Megan does not reply, Sumika can practically hear her teeth grinding in the background. "Seriously, what is going on with you two?" Sumika asks.

"_He keeps leaving me behind._" Megan finally admits.

"He leaves everyone behind." Sumika points out. "Dark Knight's faster, more manoeuvrable, and packs more firepower then anything else out there, except for those two NEXTs."

"_That is besides the point._" Megan objects. "_We should not be forced to stay behind and mop up while he faces all the danger._"

"Us, or you?" Sumika asks. Before Megan can reply, Sumika's comm. unit starts to beep. "That's the signal." Sumika tells Megan. "This is Sumika, AC Desperado moving in." She then calls out over the Alliance frequency.

"_Watch yourselves out there._" Kain warns them. "_I got a feeling about this one. Do not engage the NEXTs until I get there. Don't take any chances with either of the bastards._"

"Understood." Sumika replies, the others also sounding off. Ignoring the banter, Sumika focuses on boosting her AC towards the Alliance base. Checking her radar, Sumika sees Megan right behind her.

"_We have just received word from the forward units._" Diana informs them, her voice sounding emotionless and robotic. Hearing her voice, Sumika winces, well aware of how hard it is for Diana to walk the fine line between her own personality, and the thing that had developed from what the late doctor Andel Killian had left in her brain. "_Enemy resistance is lighter then expected. Proceed with caution._"

"_Could UEG intel have screwed up again?_" Maya asks.

"_Possible._" The warlord grunts. "_Or it could be a trap of some sort. Watch yourselves out there._"

"_This is Kain; I've reached the base perimeter and commencing my attack. No sign of either machines yet but, who, what was that?_"

"_Report._" Diana orders him.

"_Ground just shook. DK's confirming some sort of seismic activity._"

Checking her own sensors, Sumika also sees the brief spike in seismic activity. "I'm picking it up too." She reports. "Still too far out for an accurate reading though."

"_Proceed with a full sensor sweep upon arrival Sumika._" Diana orders her. "_All other units proceed with the attack._"

********

Landing from a boost jump, Kain spins Dark Knight around, firing the KAWASARA once to destroy the last WALNUT defensive battery in his immediate area. "Lots of defense around here." Kain mutters, watching the grenade launcher explode before searching for his next target. "Still no sign of those two?"

"_Negative._" DK replies. "_I'm picking up low levels of Kojima Particle contamination, but that could just be from them passing through._" Nodding, Kain boosts to the right to avoid fire from a BAT MT as it comes swooping down towards him. The squat fighter fires its pulse rifle three more times before transforming, its legs dropping down from its under carriage.

Firing the KAWASARA, Kain hits it as it lands, and hits it again before it has a chance to fire its laser cannon, destroying it. "I don't like this." Kain tells the AI. "Next to no resistance, earthquakes-"

"_Seismic activity._" DK corrects him.

"Whatever." Kain grunts. "And no one running around whatsoever. Where the hell is everyone?"

"_Maybe they fell back to that thing they're building?_" DK suggests.

Nodding, Kain turns his AC towards the structure. "This is LR. Going to check out whatever it is they're building over there."

"_Understood Last Raven._" Diana replies.

Boosting past several administration buildings, Kain checks his radar and sees that the main body of the Alliance forces have already begun reaching the outer buildings of the Alliance base. "This is way too easy." Kain declares. "Anyone seen anything yet?" He then asks over the outer heaven frequency.

The warlord is the first to reply. "_Negative. Minimal resistance._"

"_Same here._" Sumika reports in.

"_I have had several MT contacts on my radar._" Megan reports. "_But they retreated as soon as they appeared._"

"_Are they trying to bait us?_" Maya asks.

"_UEF troopers report that the outer buildings are stripped._" Diana tells them.

"Recommend we fall back." Kain suggests. "I don't like this."

"_Agreed._" The warlord grunts. "_This is-_"

"_Major seismic activity incoming!_" Sumika shouts. "_Brace yourselves!_" Kain takes to the air before Sumika has a chance to finish.

"_Holy shit!_" DK exclaims. Seeing another BAT flying towards him, Kain targets it with the homing lasers, and fires a full volley at the MT. Unable to avoid the barrage, the BAT explodes violently in midair while Kain lands on the nearest administration building. Turning in place, Kain takes a look around the base, and sees the ground collapsing around the strange structure.

"The grounds collapsing!" Kain exclaims. "All units, fall back! Retreat to the outer perimeter of the-"

DK suddenly sidesteps, the act catching Kain by surprise. "_Company!_" she exclaims, the move avoiding a round that punches a large hole in the roof where Kain had been standing moments before.

Looking up, Kain sees White Glint flying towards him, both guns firing. Boosting off of the building, Kain flies backwards, quick boosting to the left and retaliating with fire from his own KAWASARA and PELLET. "Where the hell did she come from?" Kain demands, landing on the ground besides the wreckage of the gun emplacement he had destroyed a few short time ago. Ahead of him, White Glint lands and boosts towards him, weapons lowered. Holding his own fire, Kain nonetheless targets the NEXT with his homing lasers.

"_I trust you are fully repaired._" She tells him, coming through loud and clearly on his one-to-one.

"Ready, willing, and more then happy to hand your ass to you on a silver platter." Kain replies. "But right now, I gotta go do something about the ground shaking."

"_I cannot allow you do to that._" White Glint replies, pointing her right-hand rifle at him. "_This time, I will not hesitate to destroy you._"

Firing his homing lasers as he boosts to the right, Kain raises his hand weapons to fire. "Give it your best shot!"

********

"Kain has engaged White Glint!" Sumika calls out as she stops near the edge of the base. Checking her radar, she activates her sensor suite to see what is going on beneath the Alliance base and gasps. "All units, retreat back to base!" Sumika shouts. "I repeat! All units retreat back to base! The entire Alliance Base is going under!" Boosting backwards away from the base, Sumika watches as the rest of the Alliance base collapses, a giant crater forming.

"_Where is Kain?_" Megan demands. "_Did he, oh my god!_" Looking towards the center of the crater where the strange structure had been sitting above ground, Sumika stares disbelieving at the scene before her. The structure rises up higher into the air, the part they had seen above ground a small portion of its overall form. The six rectangular pillars push the body upwards, the tops of the pillars extending out, showing that they are in fact the joints of six massive legs.

"_Is it an MT?_" Someone shouts in near panic over the comm.. Beneath the single runway they had seen before on each side are two others that begin to unfold away from the bottom runway. On each side of the great machine above the center leg, a single large barrel sticks out, large enough for even one of the tall NEXTs to walk in with room to spare. "_What the hell is that thing?_" Another male voice shouts, snapping Sumika out of her shock.

Checking her comm. Frequency, she sees that she is now on the Alliance general frequency. "_All forces fall back to the defensive perimeter!_" An authorative voice calls out. "_I repeat, all forces fall back to the defensive perimeter immediately!_"

Using her sensors, Sumika starts to scan the monstrosity as one of its legs starts to rise up into the air. "It's going to walk out of the basin!" She exclaims. Cursing, she checks the data from her sensors as it comes in, the sheer size of the Alliance weapon boggling her mind. "This isn't an MT." She mutters. "It's some kind of mobile base!" Boosting away from the monstrosity as it slowly starts to move forward, Sumika continues to gather what data she can with her sensors.

"_We're going to die!_" Someone shouts over the comm.. Cursing, Sumika switches her comm. frequency back to the Outer Heaven signal.

"_We can't take out something that big!_" Maya exclaims.

"_Fall back to the UEG defense line._" Backlash orders. "_Megan, what can you see from up there?_"

"_The unit is bristling with weapons._" Megan reports after several seconds. "_Large cannons attached to the underside of each wing, or runway depending on how you look at it. Missile launchers, small anti-air and anti-AC guns scattered across the body, and a large force of units Diana designated as Normals. It is a fortress. The two large tubes you noticed before appear to be some kind of docking tubes rather then weapons._"

Boosting towards the UEG line, Sumika let's out a small shriek when she hears a set of explosions echo around her. "What was that?" She calls out.

"_Main guns just fired._" The warlord replies. "_Looks like their targeting the UEG lines. We don't stand a chance against that thing._"

"_Wait._" Megan calls out. "_Where's Kain?_"

"_Not even he would be crazy enough to take that thing on._" Maya says.

Hearing this, Sumika can't help but smirk. "Oh, you so don't know Kain that well do you?"

********

Cutting his OB, Kain spins around in mid-air, landing hard and sliding a ways before coming to a stop. "Wow, that close." He mutters.

"_Did you see the size of that thing!?_" DK exclaims.

"Yup." Kain replies, watching the, whatever it's suppose to be, slowly begin walking towards the edge of the basin it had been hiding in. "Damn that thing's huge. Where the hell did Alliance come up with the plans for that thing?"

"_I think they had some help from those Order people._" DK points out.

"Could be." Kain admits. "Any word from the others yet?"

"_That thing's putting out some kind of jamming signal._" DK replies after a second's hesitation. "_I've been in contact with the MBUs, but Diana's busy. The others don't have the right equipment to cut through the jamming. I can't pick them up on radar either, but the last time I saw them, it looked like they were heading towards the UEG defensive perimeter._" Kain nods, chewing his lip in thought.

"_Oh no!_" DK exclaims, apparently sensing his line of thought.

"We can take it." Kain tells her.

"_The sole of that thing's foot is taller then us!_"

"Exactly, it'll make it easier to slip in."

"_It's got more guns, missiles, and who knows what then every UEG and Alliance unit in this sector combined! Not to mention at least a hundred Normals and MTs!_"

"It can't have that many guns."

"_Close enough!_"

In the distance, Kain sees the two main guns firing, the six massive shells streaking towards the UEG defensive line like deadly orange comets. "Well we can't just sit here and do nothing." Kain tells her. "We got to at least try and slow that thing down."

"_You do realize that this is pretty much a suicide run?_"

Kain shrugs. "Not like we haven't done those before."

"_No._" DK admits. "_But this is the first one we actually had to worry about getting stepped on._"

Chuckling, Kain starts boosting towards the monstrosity. "Then we better make sure we're not under any of the feet when they go down. Be nice to have a bit of a challenge for a change."

"_White Glint is a challenge._" DK tells him sourly. "_Belial was almost a challenge. This is just crazy._"

"Sometimes crazy works." Kain says. "Come on, let's go see how much damage we can do to the Alliance's new toy."


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – Breaking the Siege

All throughout the UEG military base, chaos reigns. Mechanics desperately try to get damaged MTs and armor rolling as they pack equipment. Soldiers run around in near terror as in the distance, a massive shadow looms in the horizon, its presence bringing with it the certainty of death for anyone foolish enough to stand in its way.

Sitting at his desk, Corporal Gregory Tanner watches the reactions of the other UEG generals and leadership on a large screen before him as they stare in horror at the footage the reconnaissance team had managed to capture before getting destroyed by the large white AC.

"_This is unbelievable._" Someone sitting at the conference table. "_How is this possible? Where did Alliance get the technology to build this?_"

"_How do you plan on stopping it corporal?_" One of the generals asks.

"Stop it?" Gregory asks, chuckling darkly. "How do you stop the wind from blowing sir? Cause quite frankly, it'll take about the same to stop that thing. We're outgunned. We've lost this region. I'm trying to pull out my forces as fast as I can."

"Sir!" Lieutenant Hucksley calls out as he comes rushing in. "The, base, just fired its main guns. The defensive line is destroyed!" Gregory shakes his head as he reaches into one of his desk drawers and takes out a bottle of scotch.

"_What are you doing?_" One of the UEG leaders exclaims.

"Sound the evacuation." Gregory orders the lieutenant, ignoring the others on the screen. "Get everyone back to Fort Hollic. Send out the recon teams to gather as much data as they can on that monster. Hopefully, whatever intel they can gather will help us take that thing out later."

"_Corporal, I order you to stand and fight!_" The same general who had spoken earlier shouts angrily.

"We're all dead men now." Gregory tells them. "Be ready to take that thing on after it's done with us." With that, Gregory cuts the transmission. "What are the Outer Heaven mercs doing?" He asks the lieutenant.

"Their mobile field base has already left the encampment." Hucksley replies. "Their remaining ACs are regrouping for a potential offensive. At best, I believe they will attempt to slow the unit's progress so we can attempt to evacuate, but I don't think-"

"And the Last Raven?" Gregory asks, taking another drink.

"Unknown, but one of our recon teams reported seeing a black AC heading towards the unit."

Nodding, Gregory debates what do next, when an ominous whistling sound fills the air. "God help us all." He manages to whisper before his world explodes in brilliant flames.

*******

"Confirmed a direct hit on UEG administrative building." The gunner calls out.

Nodding, Damion can't help but smile as he watches as chaos reigns in the UEG base. "And so the siege is broken." He whispers. "Begin communications blackout. Once we are clear of the basin, prepare for full assault. Let's show these fools the full might of the Spirit of Motherwill!" Leaning back in his chair, Damion can't help but feel giddy over the success of their latest creation.

"_How progresses the attack?_" The Matriarch asks, her voice coming through clearly on the nearby communications console.

"Quite well." Damion replies. "The shock alone was more then enough to crippled the UEG defensive line. Another few rounds from the main guns should be sufficient to break them."

"_Ensure that a sufficient number of survivors are allowed to escape._" The Matriarch reminds him. "_The word must be spread._"

"Indeed." Damion agrees.

"Sir!" One of the crewmen calls out. "Confirmed a single AC approaching at high speed! It's the Last Raven!"

Hearing this, Damion frowns. "More a fool then I had thought. He cannot possibly think he can stop The Spirit of Motherwill?"

"_He does not have to._" The Matriarch points out. "_He need only resist, and that alone will help bolster the UEG forces, perhaps even give them additional time to retreat. The day may be lost for them, but that will not stop them from resisting another day._"

"Then we will simply have to show them the price of that resistance." Damion declares. "Gunner, fire the main guns once more at the UEG base, then focus fire on the Last Raven, should he be foolish enough to come into range. Have all MTs and Normal units prioritize his destruction. And inform your pet Belial, Matriarch, that he now has a chance to redeem himself. Regardless, above all else, I want the Last Raven dead by the end of this day."

********

Boosting towards the giant, Kain watches his radar for any signs of new contacts. Suddenly, missiles appear on radar streaking towards him. Quick boosting twice to evade them, Kain spins around to face their source. "Was wondering where you disappeared to." Kain mutters as White Glint lands on the ground a ways from him. "Ready to pick up where we left off?" The pilot of the other AC replies with her guns, firing several rounds from her left-hand rifle.

"_It's definitely an assault rifle of some kind._" DK says, the updated information appearing on his HUD.

"You think?" Kain asks, boosting to the right to avoid the rounds then returning fire with the KAWASARA. White Glint boosts into the air to avoid the round, her missile pods coming up to fire. Seeing this, Kain boosts backwards, activating his OB. Spinning around as it fires, he sends himself flying towards the giant.

"_AA fire incoming!_" DK warns him. Seeing the fire from several of the mounted guns on the giant, Kain swerves right to avoid it, passing close by one of the giant legs in the process. Cutting his OB when the condenser gets down to about a quarter, Kain continues boosting, turning so that he has White Glint in his sights.

Seeing her coming right at him, Kain raises both guns and fires as she gets close, catching the NEXT by surprise. As they are getting close to colliding, White Glint breaks left, Kain going right, the edges of their respective shields grazing, sending up a small surge of blue lightning.

"_Could you have cut it any closer?_" DK demands.

"Maybe." Kain replies, firing the homing lasers at the NEXT as it cuts its OB, the strange flight pods retracting back into their original form. Taking the hits to the back, White Glint boosts forward and takes to the air once more. Spinning around, she avoids more of Kain's fire, then fires two missiles of her own at him.

Cursing, Kain boosts away from the deadly projectiles as they split apart. "This is gonna be close!" He shouts, dodging, jinxing, and quick boosting to avoid the missiles. Seeing one of the missiles taken out by several shots from the AMS, Kain is unable to avoid the one behind it, the projectile exploding against the HEP shield and sending shockwaves through the core.

"_HEP Shield down!_" DK warns him. Quick boosting left several times, Kain gives his head a shake, his teeth rattling from the impact.

"You know, I never really took stock in the whole size doesn't matter thing." He mutters, firing the KAWASARA. "But I'm starting to rethink that." Taking to the air, Kain flies towards the other AC, the SHIFTERs switching to cannon mode. Seeing this, White Glint starts to fly backwards, firing both rifles at him. Avoiding the rounds, Kain drops, firing off two shots from the KAWASARA. Seeing them connect, Kain spots the tell-tale signs of the Primal Armor being nearly depleted. "Got you now!" Kain shouts, punching the OB. Shooting forward, Kain follows White Glint as she tries to avoid his rush. Unable to shake him, she is helpless as he flies by to her left, the SHIFTER cannon on that side firing as he goes by. Now past her, Kain cuts the OB and spins around, firing the other cannon as soon as he has visual line of sight. The column of energy hits White Glint in the back, knocking her forward as she drops towards the ground. Following her, Kain fires both cannons as soon as they are charged, and manages to hit the NEXT with one more round before she punches her OB. Watching her fly forward, Kain is surprised to see her only go a very short distance before it is cut. "That's weird." Kain mutters, landing as the SHIFTERs change back to booster mode. "She should have gone father then that."

"_I detected a decrease in kojima particle emissions when she activated her OB._" DK informs him. "_It looks like her OB needs Kojima Particles as well as energy to fire._"

"_Impressive._" White Glint says as she turns to face them. "_The reports said you had a co-pilot, and AI co-pilot. Perhaps that would explain your capabilities._"

"_She hacked my comm.!_" DK exclaims. "_How did she hack my comm.?_"

"Worry about it later." Kain tells the AI, firing the KAWASARA as the HEP shield snaps, signalling that it is once more fully charged. Dodging the energy round, White Glint fires a missile from her left back launcher. Already boosting towards the NEXT, Kain manages to get past the missile before it has a chance to split apart. Losing its target, the missile splits apart, the smaller projectiles crashing into the ground and exploding harmlessly.

"_Tell me._" White Glint demands. "_Tell me how much your pet computer fights for you._"

"I don't need no stinking computer to pilot my damn AC!" Kain shouts, Tracer rocket pods opening in his shoulders. Seeing them, White Glint tries to bring her assault rifle to bear, but Kain easily out-manoeuvres her, the hail of rockets once more ripping from the inside part. As the first of the rounds launch however, White Glint quick boosts forward, colliding with the smaller AC. Caught by surprise, Kain is momentarily blinded by a flashes of blue lightning that flare before him. "What was that?" Kain asks, but quickly realizes something is wrong when DK's voice comes out as a static garble. Cursing, he tries to pull away from White Glint, but the NEXT follows him, the HEP shield and primal armor wearing each other down. "You are really starting to piss me off!" Kain shouts, firing the KAWASARA. Hitting White Glint in the core, Kain fires twice more before the NEXT pulls back from the attack.

"_Wow._" DK says as the two ACs back away from each other. "_The feedback from the HEP shield and primal armor colliding was, weird._" Grunting, Kain takes to the air. Dodging fire from White Glint, he comes out from under the giant and flies up towards the main guns. "_We got missiles incoming._" DK warns him.

"How many?" Kain asks.

"_Somewhere between more then we can dodge, and enough of them to blot out the sun._"

Cursing, Kain Reaches one of the two main guns and flies between two of the massive barrels, his radar filled with red indicators. "Damn, maybe I should have stayed down there." Kain says when the first of the missiles come into sight.

********

Watching several monitors at once, Diana works furiously to keep up with the pace of the data. How could I have missed this, the thought runs through her mind for the hundredth time since the great behemoth has awoken. A complete, mobile base. Just the thought of how something so large could be made to move sends her mind into a whirl of calculations, hypothesis, and test plans that threaten to overwhelm her. Giving her head a shake, she puts the thoughts aside, and starts to work on a new viral algorithm to try and gain access to the base's computers when the proximity alarm goes of. Going to another monitor, Diana sees that the Outer Heaven ACs have caught up to the MBUs. "_Report._" Backlash calls in.

"Give me a minute." Diana replies. "I'm working the entire C&C by myself."

"_Need some help?_" Sumika asks.

"No." Diana replies. "You three are going to have to go on a sortie once we rendezvous with the STORKs. I've been analyzing the data coming on this, thing. It's incredible. The engineering feats alone needed to-"

"_Did you figure out a way to take it down?_" Backlash asks impatiently.

"No." Diana replies. "We have nowhere near the firepower at this time to destroy that thing. I have however, devised a way to slow it down. The three of you will need to transport a bomb to the machine and attach it to the left middle leg at the first joint, or knee."

"_That'll slow it down?_" Sumika asks.

"I don't know." Diana admits. "But it's the best I have right now. The bomb itself is patchwork; I don't know if it will have the power necessary to even scratch the paint, but it's all I can come up with." Looking around, Diana sees another monitor flashing for her attention. "Hold on, something's happening." Checking the monitor, Diana frowns when she sees the display. "How in the world did he pull that off?" She mutters in surprise.

"_Report._" Backlash orders her.

"Kain somehow managed to take out one of the main guns." Diana explains. "I don't know how, but he's doing some damage to that thing. Hopefully, it will buy us some time to put the plan into action. The STORKs will have to drop you from almost directly above the target. An EMP bomb will be dropped first, that should confuse things long enough for you to drop down to ground level."

"_Frontal assault's no good then?_" Backlash asks.

"There's enough anti-air on that thing to blow you all out of the sky before you even get remotely close to it." Diana replies. "And even the smaller cannons are more then enough to scrap even a heavy AC long before it gets into range. The only viable blind spot it has is directly under the body, and even that is iffy if they are using high accuracy or vertical launch missiles. Not to mention the large force of-"

"_We get it!_" Megan tells her. "_Is Kain alright?_"

Diana checks another monitor briefly before answering. "DK is still online and everything is green. That's all I can tell you right now."

"_Kain can handle himself._" The warlord tells Megan. "_Right now, we need to get to those STORKs and prepare for the drop. The sooner we cripple that thing, the sooner we can get out of here. What's the status on the UEG forces?_"

"Mass chaos." Diana replies. "After the Administration buildings were taken out, command structure pretty much collapsed. The individual units and regiments are making their way towards Fort Hollic. Apparently, that's going to be the rally point. What are we going to do?"

"_We're going back to Mars Base once we evac._" Backlash replies. "_We need to need to regroup, re-arm, and get some bigger guns._"

"_No kidding._" Sumika says. "_That thing's got to be at least a thousand feet tall!_"

"Bomb construction will be complete in about one minute." Diana informs them. "In the meantime, move ahead of the MBUs and rendezvous with the transports to begin loading. And no Sumika, it is not a thousand feet tall. Maybe around half that, but definitely not a thousand."

"_Understood._" Backlash tells her. "_Forward everything you got to Mars Base, and inform Valkyrie of the developments._"

"Already in progress." Diana assures them. "Let's just hope Kain can keep them busy long enough for us to get there."

********

"How the hell did we survive that?" Kain shouts, boosting out from between two of massive, and now ruined, barrels of the forward main batteries.

"_Those Alliance idiots took all the safeties off their missiles!_" DK laughs. "_They weren't smart enough to not explode when they hit the guns!_"

"Get a grip on yourself!" Kain warns the AI when he notes a hint of hysteria in the synthesized voice.

"_Sorry._" DK apologizes, getting herself under control. "_But that was too close!_" Landing on the forward center runway, the lowest of the three, Kain takes out one of the small gun emplaces along the edge to his right, then fires the KAWASARA twice, taking out one of the vertical missile launchers. Finally reacting to him, the over a dozen Normals standing on the runway turn towards him. "_More missiles!_" DK shrieks.

"Will you get a grip?" Kain shouts back, firing both hand weapons the Normals. Boosting left off the side of the runway, Kain flies under the left hand runway, Taking shots at the massive gun battery hanging under its tip.

"_Here they come!_" DK shouts. Less then a second after, the very air shakes as the dozens of missiles strike the runway above.

"Damn, it's too hot up here." Kain curses. Switching the SHIFTERs to cannon mode, Kain fires both barrels at the battery, taking it out. Nodding, he drops back down towards the ground, and quick boosts backwards when something smashes through the HEP shield.

"_PELLET just went offline._" DK tells him. "_It looked like, confirmed! NEXT Dead Eye above us!_"

Looking up, Kain sees the red and black AC flying towards them, the massive sniper cannon deployed over the left shoulder. Looking down at Dark Knight's left hand, Kain sees that it is badly damaged, the energy machine gun nowhere to be seen.  
"Laser blade still operational?" He asks, quick boosting to avoid another round from the lethal cannon.

"_Hand's out of commission, but the rest of the arm is fine._" DK informs him. Nodding, Kain switches to the general frequency, the SHIFTERs going back to booster mode.

"Well if it ain't my old friend Belly! Come back to your ass kicked again?" Belial replies with a stream of fire from his machine gun. Activating his OB, Kain strafes left to avoid the fire, turning at the last second to send himself flying away from the NEXT when the OB finally kicks in. Anticipating this, Belial activates his own OB, the booster firing seconds after Kain's.

"_You humiliated me last time, norm._" Belial's voice grates. "_This time, your head is mine!_"

"Boy I wish I had a credit for every time someone's said that to me." Kain mutters. Once more underneath the giant, Kain cuts his OB, and spins around to fire the homing lasers as soon as they are locked onto the NEXT. As the blue beams go streaking towards Belial, Kain fires the KAWASARA, but the NEXT quick boosts several times, pulling off a manoeuvre that confuses the homing lasers and avoids the laser shot. "He's not kidding around this time." Kain mutters, boosting towards Belial.

Seeing this, Belial boosts back from Kain, firing his sniper rifle. Kain swerves to dodge the shot, and quick boosts forward. As soon as he is in range, Kain slashes with the Laser Blade built into Dark Knight's left arm, catching the NEXT by surprise. Following the slash up with a shot from the KAWASARA, Kain sees it connect, and a missile warning appears on the HUD. Cursing, he boosts backwards from Belial, and quick boosts three more times to avoid the hail of missiles.

"_Stay out of this bitch!_" Belial shouts, White Glint dropping down to the ground behind Kain.

"Great." Kain mutters. "Always did like a challenge, but this is too much."

"_The Matriarch has order his death._" White Glint says.

"_And I will kill him myself!_" Belial roars. "_So don't get in my way!_" His missile launcher activating, Kain sees it fire four missiles into the air at an angle.

"_Kain, are you there?_" A new voices calls out to him. Surprised by the new speaker,

Kain barely has a chance to dodge missiles and return fire. "Little busy right now Diana." Kain replies once he recognizes the voice. Checking behind him, Kain sees White Glint take aim, and barely has time to pull his AC violently to the left to avoid a round from her rifle.

"_What's your status?_"

Grunting, Kain looks around, but finds no easy avenues of escape. "Caught between the two NEXTs, lost the PELLET. How about some help?"

"_The others are on their way, but you need to stall them a little longer._" Firing twice more at Belial with the KAWASARA, Kain curses when the larger NEXT dodges both shots.

"_Nowhere to hide this time._" Belial tells him.

"Gee, you must feel really exposed." Kain counters. "Being a coward and all."

"_What did you call me?_" Belial demands.

"You heard me!" Kain replies, firing once at White Glint behind him. Holding her ground, White Glint returns fire several times from both rifles. "Maybe you should have painted your AC yellow instead of red." Growling, Belial comes charging at Kain, Both hand weapons firing. "Love it when they're stupid." Kain says quietly, the SHIFTERs switching to cannon mode. Seeing this, Belial quickly realizes his error, and tries to boost sideways out of range of the twin cannons, but Kain follows with a quick boost of his own. "Gotcha!" Kain shouts, firing both barrels.

The twin columns of energy fly from the weapon, piercing Belial's primal armor and striking the NEXT in the chest. "That punched through way too easy." Kain says, tracking the NEXT as he waits for the cannons to recharge.

"_His AC must still be damaged._" DK says speculatively. "_It looks like his Kojima Particle output is a lot lower then before._"

"And you're just noticing this now?" Kain demands. Firing the SHIFTERs again, Kain manages to hit Belial with one of the columns in the right arm as the NEXT suddenly changes direction in an attempt to evade.

"_Do you have any idea what's going on up there?_" The AI replies testily. "_I'm barely keeping up with all the telemetry and radar-_"

"Alright, alright!" Kain snaps, quick boosting to avoid fire from Belial's machinegun. Firing the SHIFTERs a third time, Kain manages to hit the NEXT with both barrels this time, but is forced to stop when the condenser drops dangerously low. Switching them back to booster mode, Kain starts when a hit rocks the AC.

"_Direct hit to the SHIFTERs!_" DK shouts out.

"What?" Kain exclaims. Spinning around, he sees White Glint is pointing her right-hand rifle at him.

"_You are a fool Belial._" She tells the other NEXT pilot, disgust clear in her voice. "_This ends now._"


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 – Desperate Measures

"_ETA to drop forty-five seconds._" The STORK pilot reports.

"Understood." Diana replies. "Remember: Do not drop below fifteen-hundred feet, or you will be targeted by AA fire."

"_You don't have to tell me twice._" The pilot replies before signing off. Nodding, Diana looks around and sighs. With the MBUs now parked at the extraction point, Thom and Thim, the two robotic units created by the late doctor Andel Killian, are with her managing the C&C. Checking the perimeter map, Diana sees that Maya is still on patrol. Checking the long-range radar shows that the behemoth has almost cleared the basin.

"_Doctor, we are receiving a system warning form AC Dark Knight._" Thim calls out.

"What kind of warning?" Diana asks as she goes to his side.

"_Level Five part destruction._" The robot replies.

"They took out the SHIFTERs?" Diana exclaims in shock. "Damnit, this is getting worse by the minute. What's the status of the UEG withdrawal?"

"_43% of the UEG remaining forces have moved beyond the projected range of the target's primary weapons._" Thim reports from across the room. "_The unit is within optimal firing range of the remaining forces, but has showed no signs of continued aggression against UEG forces._"

"Hopefully because Kain's annoying them too much." Diana says. "Alright, activate the glider. It should be in operational range of Kain's current location. I just hope it stays together long enough to reach him."

********

Cursing profusely under his breath, Kain tries to get the SHIFTER's under control, DK working behind the scenes on damage control.

"_The left side unit isn't responding!_" DK tells him frantically.

"Can you do something about the power build up?" Kain asks. "If that thing blows, it's going to hurt like hell!" Seeing Belial coming towards him, Kain starts to boost away from the NEXT, but is forced to stop when several warning lights go off.

"_The capacitor's not responding!_" DK warns him. "_I can't shut it down!_"

Straffing left to avoid around from Belial's sniper rifle, Kain sees it punch through the HEP shield, taking it out and causing the console before him to spark. "Damnit!" He curses. "We've got to take that thing out before it fries all our systems! Can we at least fire the damn thing?"

It is a few long seconds before DK replies. "_Firing mechanism is still responding, but I have no idea what will happen if you pull the trigger._"

"Can't be any worse then what we're stuck with now." Kain replies, aiming at Belial and firing the cannon. Still running, Kain sees the tip of the barrel start to glow ominously, and after a few seconds, the cannon fires. Kain's relief quickly turns to shock when the cannon continues to fire, the energy taking on a bluish tinge.

"_Booster malfunction!_" DK shouts before the AC suddenly starts flying backwards. Cursing, Kain risks using the boosters, feathering the throttle in a desperate attempt to regain control of his AC. Finally, the cannon stops firing, an explosion ripping through the barrel, distorting it, but otherwise keeping it in one piece.

"Shit!" Kain exclaims. "Are we still in one piece?"

"_For now._" DK replies. "_The capacitor's fused. The cannon won't fire anymore, but I think I can get it back to booster mode._"

Nodding, Kain looks over at Belial and starts. "Whoa!" He exclaims when he sees the NEXT: its right side badly burned and partially melted in some places, its right arm a melted stub half of its original length. "Talk about your lucky breaks." Kain says.

"_Not so lucky for us._" DK warns him. "_That power surge from the SHIFTER took out the tracer rocket's fire control, the HEP shield, and put the OB out of commission for a few minutes. I've managed to switch the SHIFTER back to booster mode, but they're in such bad shape, they might blow up if we try and use them._"

"Can you purge them?" Kain asks.

"_Negative._" The AI replies. "_I'm trying to manually purge, but the weapon clamps on the hard points aren't responding._"

"Any more good news?" Kain asks, sighing.

"_The generator's giving off some funny readings._" DK says after a second. "_It's starting to generate heat. It probably means that that the internal cooling is damaged, so be careful._"

A heat indicator appears on the HUD in the upper-left hand corner. "Great." Kain sighs. "At least we took Belly off-line, I think." Turning to face White Glint, Kain is surprised to see that she is just standing there, weapons lowered, watching him.

"Why didn't you finish me off when you had the chance?" Kain asks.

"_There is no need to._" White Glint replies. "_Your weapons are disabled or destroyed, your AC has taken substantial internal damage. I was surprised that your gambit did such damage to Belial, but it seems to have cost you more then you had anticipated._"

"Lady, that wasn't a gambit." Kain grunts. "That was just us trying to save our asses from your cheap shot."

"_No matter._" White Glint points her assault rifle at Kain. "_You have lost. I offer you the chance to surrender. Allow yourself to be taken prisoner, and I will see to it that you are unharmed._"

"Nothing personal, but I've seen what Alliance does to some of their POWs." Kain tells her.

"_You are my prisoner, not theirs._" White Glint counters. "_You are a great warrior, and a worthy opponent. Only because of this do I give you the chance to surrender honourably, so that you may have a chance to one day redeem yourself from this defeat. Make your choice._"

"Do we at least have quick boost?" Kain asks, cutting the mic at his end.

DK replies. "_But I don't know what kind of strain it will put on the generator. You can't seriously be thinking about taking her on with just the KAWASARA and a laser blade do you? I mean, I really don't know how long the generator's going to last._"

"We've got to do something about this chick before the others get here." Kain growls. "And I sure as shit am not surrendering."

"_Then maybe just buy me a few minutes to slap some repairs together._" DK urges him.

"No time." Kain tells her. "We got to finish this here and now."

"_You're crazy, you know that right?_"

Kain chuckles. "Crazy works sometimes."

"_What is your answer?_" White Glint demands.

Looking around, Kain sees the massive legs of the giant they are standing under, and gets an idea. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm going to have to pass." Kain tells her. "Never surrendered before, and I'm not going to start now."

"_I see._" White Glint says, clearly sounding disappointed. "_It is unfortunate that you chose this course, but I will honor your decision._"

"Don't think I'm going to make this easy on you." Kain tells her. Firing the KAWASARA, Kain boosts towards the nearest leg.

"_We don't have the firepower to take her out!_" DK tells him.

"I know." Kain replies, going around the massive leg.

"_Without the HEP shield, she's going to take us out with two shots, if we're lucky!_"

"I know."

"_I don't even know if I can keep the generator going!_"

"I know damnit!"

"_How are we-_"

"Look! If you're not going to say anything useful, keep your trap shut!" Kain snaps. "I'm thinking here!" Keeping the leg between himself and White Glint, Kain watches as she starts to come around, and moves accordingly.

"_Wait._" DK says suddenly. "_Kojima particle emissions just dropped down to next to nothing. She's taken her primal armor offline!_"

Stopping, Kain watches the radar as White Glint mirrors his movements. "So that's her game." Kain mutters.

"_Which is?_" DK prompts. Ignoring her, Kain checks the comm. For any signs of the others, but still sees no sign of them.

"I'm guessing Belly over there never gave you much of a challenge." Kain says. "You don't really care who wins do you?"

"_My mission is to protect The Spirit of Motherwill and terminate your threat._" White Glint replies. "_I have completed the first objective: You no longer have the capability to damage Motherwill. Now, I will defeat you. You are a worthy opponent Last Raven, and I will honor you by fighting on equal terms. Your death, will be long remembered in the Order's archives._"

"Don't start writing that chapter just yet." Kain warns her.

"_OB just came back online._" DK informs him. "_But its power readings are fluxuating, so watch for flare-ups_." Nodding, Kain watches the other NEXT on the radar intently. After almost half a minute, they both hear a loud, ominous-sounding moan. "_This leg's starting to lift!_" DK exclaims. Nodding absently, Kain keeps one eye glued to the radar, the other on the leg in front of him.

********

Falling through the air, Megan watches as the EMP bomb below them detonates, releasing a large bright white cloud of static energy. "_I hope this works!_" Sumika exclaims, the first to pass through the cloud.

"_We can still be targeted visually._" The warlord warns them. "_Remember the plan and stick to it._"

"Understood." Megan replies just before she too reaches the cloud. Falling through it, Megan sees her systems flash briefly, the internal shielding around her AC's systems protecting them from the EMP. Falling clear of the cloud, Megan checks her trajectory, and makes several small corrections.

"_So far so good._" Sumika says. "_I've just cleared the runways. Looks like the light show's got their attention._" Looking out towards the giant unit as she falls by, Megan shivers slightly, its massive size and destructive potential fully evident before her.

"_Touchdown!_" Sumika calls out, Backlash echoing the word a few seconds later. Giving her head a shake, Megan focuses on the task before her. Firing her AC's boosters, Megan slows her descent, landing hard, but already on the move as soon as her feet touch the ground. "_I've got visual on the two NEXTs._" Sumika says as Megan boosts towards the target leg to join the other two. "_Belial looks like he's offline. White Glint's having a face off with Kain from the other side of a leg. I'm getting data from DK. Damn, they're in bad shape._"

"How bad?" Megan asks, her heart leaping into her throat.

"_Stay focused on our objective._" Backlash warns them.

"_They're still in fighting shape._" Sumika replies. "_Barely. Looks like both NEXTs have lost their primal armor though._"

"_Amazon, Sumika cover me._" Backlash orders them. "_Keep an eye on the red NEXT. If it moves, finish him off._"

"_Roger._" Sumika replies.

"Understood." Megan replies hesitantly, her eyes unconsciously wandering towards the White NEXT.

The warlord meanwhile, boosts forward and into the air towards the first join in the massive leg. In his left hand, he carries a large rectangular device made of patchwork pieces of metal. "_Beginning placement now._" The warlord tells them. Checking her radar, Megan sees that Kain and the NEXT have begun moving, the two backing away from each other before coming together quickly. Surprised, Megan looks out towards the two, and sees Kain land a blow on White Glint with his laser blade. She then sees the NEXT raise up her rifle, aiming it at Dark Knight's core at point blank range.

"No!" Megan shouts fearfully. Turning her AC, she hits her OB.

"_Amazon, what are you doing?_" Backlash demands. "_Get back into position now!_" Ignoring the order, Megan goes shooting towards the two.

"_Look out!_" Sumika shouts. "_Belial just came back online!_"

********

"_Looks like the others finally got here._" DK tells him.

Seeing them appear on radar, Kain nods. "Good. Now they just got to do whatever it is they're supposed to do fast." Seeing the leg finally starting to rise, Kain starts boosting backwards. Keeping his eye on the radar, he sees White Glint also do the same.

"_What are you doing?_" DK asks worriedly.

"We're gonna play chicken." He replies, punching the OB.

"_What?_" DK manages to get out before they go shooting forward towards the foot. With enough clearance to move under, Kain flies towards White Glint, the NEXT's OB also sending her flying towards him.

"Now!" He shouts, suddenly cutting the OB. Sliding across the barren ground, Kain fires the KAWASARA as fast as he can at the approaching NEXT. Cutting her OB, White Glint tries to move sideways to fly past him as she fires, but Kain boosts, dodging the rounds and keeps himself directly in her path.

"_Collision alert!_" DK shrieks. Ignoring her, Kain continues firing, and White Glint finally quick boosts backwards to stop herself from slamming into the smaller AC. Seeing this, Kain boosts forward towards her and strikes with his laser blade, the energy blade slicing upwards, scoring a deep blow from crotch to chest on the NEXT.

Seeing the rifle pointed at his core, Kain quick boosts right to avoid the shot, then runs around the NEXT to flank her. Firing the KAWASARA again, Kain hits the Next in the back before she quick boosts away from him and spins around.

"_Fast Incoming from behind!_" DK warns him. Startled, Kain starts to look to see what's coming, but stops himself, barely managing to boost aside to avoid fire from the NEXT.

"_Kain!_" Megan calls out as she cuts her OB and fires a volley of missiles from her KINNARA.

"What the hell?" Kain shouts in surprise. "Get out of here Amazon!"

Ignoring him, Megan engages White Glint, firing both hand weapons. Seeing her, White Glint quick boosts aside, easily avoiding the fire from the lightweight AC. Cursing, Kain boosts towards the two. "So help me." Kain swears over the general frequency. "If you live through this, I'm going to kill you!"

"_Just shut up and help me!_" Megan snaps.

"Damn that girl's got a death wish." Firing at White Glint, Kain continues to track her as she takes to the air, raining fire down on the two ACs from above. Boosting out of the way, Kain feels the AC shake slightly.

"_SHIFTERs have been purged._" DK reports.

"About time." Kain replies, taking to the air. Seeing Megan running around on the ground, Kain fires at White Glint to get her attention.

"Leave the stupid girl alone!" He shouts.

"_She forfeited her life when she joined the battle._" White Glint replies. Taking aim at Megan, Whtie Glint fires a round from her rifle at her, and three rounds at Kain from the assault rifle at the same time. Avoiding the shots, Kain fires back with the KAWASARA before dropping back down towards the ground, the generator warning lights starting to flash.

Megan meanwhile, barely manages to avoid the shot aimed at her, the pilot letting out a small scream as the round impacts on the ground beside her. "Get out of here Megan!" Kain shouts at his wife.

Ignoring him, Megan continues the attack. Swearing under his breath, Kain starts to boost towards her when DK suddenly takes over. "_Docking procedure initiate._" She says. "_Careful, this is going to be rough!_"

Before Kain can ask what she means, DK takes to the air, and a few seconds later, something hits the AC hard in the back, the force of the impact sending Kain forward, straining against his harness. "What the hell was that?" Kain demands as DK returns control back to him.

"_Diana's glider thing just gave us a re-arm._" DK tells him. "_Klink Hammer and FOXFIRE now online!_"

Checking the HUD, Kain sees the two new weapons come online: A large cannon on the left shoulder, and a missile launcher on the right. "_Kain, can you read me?_" Diana calls out on the one-to-one. "_I've received confirmation that the glider made its drop. Make sure you are grounded when you fire the Klink hammer! The recoil compensators haven't been tested yet, and if you're not careful, you could damage the core!_"

"Got it!" Kain shouts. Activating the FOXFIRE, Kain targets White Glint and fires. Eight homing laser shoot from the weapon, and go streaking towards White Glint. Seeing this, The NEXT backs away, and quick boosts several times to evade the projectiles.

"_I need help over here!_" Sumika calls out frantically. Surprised, Kain checks his radar, and curses when he sees Belial is back online.

"_That bastard just won't stay dead!_" DK exclaims.

"No kidding!" Kain agrees. "He's like a damn cockroach!" Switching back to the KAWASARA, Kain starts to boost towards the damaged NEXT, but is forced to quick boost aside in order to avoid fire from White Glint as she comes flying towards him.

"Get back there Megan!" Kain shouts. "That's an order!"

********

Dodging another round from White Glint's rifle, Megan is sweating profusely as she frantically works Choirriots controls. She's too fast, she thinks as White Glint avoids another spread of missiles from the KINNARA. Her NIX machinegun done reloading, Megan starts to boost towards the NEXT when Sumika let's out a pain-filled scream.

"_Sumika's down!_" Backlash shouts over the comm. Frequency. Hearing his, Megan gasps in shock, her hands briefly leaving the controls.

"_Look out you stupid bitch!_" Kain shouts at her. Though his words bring her back to her senses, it is too late for her to avoid White Glint's shot as it strikes her AC, knocking her back a handful of meters. Letting out a surprised shout, Megan sees her AP drop to twenty percent, warning lights flashing all across her HUD. Above her, Kain engages White Glint once more, forcing her away from the damaged Choirriot.

"_Megan report!_" Diana calls out.

"Boosters offline." She shouts. "System errors across the board, but they're recovering! No parts offline, but my core has been compromised!"

"_Fall back to Sumika!_" Backlash tells her. "_That's an order!_"

"U-Understood!" Megan replies, rattled by her close brush with death. Turning, she starts to run towards Sumika's offline AC, and stops when she notices Belial, now on his feet, smoke and sparks pouring from his AC, his sniper cannon deployed and aimed at her.

"_And another norm dies._" The NEXT pilot growls, his voice strained and dripping with hate.

Strafing, Megan desperately tries to get her boosters to fire, but finds the system offline. "No." She whispers, tears starting to form in her eyes as she closes them.

********

Landing, Kain hears Sumika go down. "Damnit, this is going all to hell now." He growls. "That stupid girl! What the hell was she thinking?" Firing the KAWASARA again, Kain avoids more fire from Whtie Glint.

"_Generator's starting to get real hot._" DK warns him. "_If we don't stop soon, it's going to blow._"

"It's not like I don't want to!" Kain retorts. Checking on Belial, Kain sees three things happen: Belial firing his sniper cannon at Megan; Backlash moving towards Megan; and Megan freezing. "No!" Kain shouts, terror building in his chest as he punches his OB.

"_Behind!_" DK shouts, White Glint swooping in for the kill.

********

Hearing the impact of the shot, Megan does not dare breath. After several seconds though, she slowly lets her breath out when she realizes that her AC is not going to blow up. Cautiously opening her eyes, Megan gasps when she sees Hammerfall standing before her, a large gaping hole under the left arm. "Warlord!" Megan exclaims in shock and horror. From within the hole, Megan can see Backlash wave his arm at her weakly. Beyond them, Sumika, shouting a string of obscenities, powers up her AC, and empties her weapons into the NEXT.

"I-I-" Megan stutters.

"_You really did it this time girl._" Backlash grunts, his voice making it clear that he is in pain.

"I'm sorry." Megan whispers, tears streaming down her face. Shaking, Megan is about to say more, when several missiles strike the warlord's AC in the back, blanketing it with fire. "Backlash!" She screams out his name in horror.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10 – Blaze of Glory

Letting out a wordless howl of rage, Kain drops to the ground and activated the Klink Hammer. As soon as the large barrel is deployed over his shoulder, Kain fires the weapon, the recoil from the round knocking the barrel back behind him out of site, a loud klank filling the air as the shell is ejected. The round streaks towards Belial, and connects, the NEXT having no change to dodge thanks to Sumika's furious assault. Taking the hit directly, the NEXT explodes on impact, Belial letting out a final pain-filled scream before going silent. "_Warlord!_" Megan shouts desperately over the comm.. Looking for White Glint, Kain sees that the NEXT has retreated, flying up to towards the top of Motherwill.

Putting thoughts of the white NEXT aside, Kain boosts towards Backlash and Megan, The warlord's AC smoking and down on one knee. "Damnit!" Kain curses. "Now is not the time to be biting the bullet old man."

"_I'm not, dead yet._" Backlash coughs, his voice surprising them.

Hearing the warlord's voice, Kain breathes a sigh of relief. "Good to hear you're still with us." Kain says.

"_Warlord, I-_" Megan starts to say hesitantly.

"_I'll deal with you later._" Backlash tells her as Hammerfall slowly gets to its feet, the servos in the AC's legs shrieking loudly in protest. "_I've lost contact with Diana and the MBU. What's the status on the bomb?_"

"_Setting up the relay now._" Sumika tells them as she boosts towards them.

"I thought you were offline?" Kain asks.

"_I was faking._" She explains. "_I couldn't handle him one on one, so I faked going offline until someone came to help me, or I had a chance to nail the bastard._"

Looking towards the burning wreckage of Belial's NEXT, Kain grunts. "He won't be coming back this time."

"_-jamming and ECM levels are increasing._" Diana's voice suddenly comes out. "_I cannot remote detonate the bomb as planned. However, the splash from the Klink hammer should be more then enough to trigger the device from range._"

"_That's going to be a problem._" DK says. "_The Klink Hammer ripped off the hard point when we fired it._"

"What?" Kain exclaims in surprise. Checking the HUD, he sees that the weapon is no longer displayed. "Shit. What the hell happened?"

"_The weapon mount must have been damaged when the SHIFTERs were hit._" Diana says. "_The recoil must have been more then they could have handled. Damn!_"

"At least we got one good shot out of the thing." Kain mutters. "Can't we just tag the thing with missiles?"

"_It's wedged between the plating._" Backlash replies. "_You won't be able to hit it from down here._"

"_In other words, someone needs to go up there._"

As soon as the words leave Sumika's mouth, Kain grimaces. "Damn this is bad."

"_It's going to get worse._" Sumika tells them. "_I'm picking up lots of signals coming our way. Alliance is deploying their Normals to come finish us off._"

"_I will go._" Megan tells them. "_You three make your way to the extraction point. I will fly up and detonate the bomb myself._"

"_You won't be able to avoid the blast._" Diana tells her. "_And none of your ACs have enough AP to survive it. Fall back to the extraction point. I'll deploy the Antenna relays and see if-_"

"_I can do this!_" Megan shouts. "_I must do this!_"

"_No._" The warlord tells her. "_Megan, Sumika, fall back towards the extraction point. Kain, I have a plan, but we'll need those energy missiles of yours._"

Hearing this, Kain frowns. "Shouldn't you go too boss? You're not sounding too hot right now."

"_Sumika's out of grenades and I have the only other high-impact weapon here._" The warlord tells him. "_We can tag the bomb from down here and avoid the blast, but it's going to take some creative shooting. Both of you fall back and cover our exit._"

"_But!_" Megan starts to object.

"_That's an order!_" Backlash roars, sounding like his old self.

"_Yes sir._" Megan replies quietly.

"G_et going._" Backlash tells them. Hesitantly, the two ACs start to boost away from them.

"Creative shooting my ass." Kain growls, switching to the one-to-one. "What are you really planning?"

"_I'm not going to make it._" Backlash tells him tiredly. "_Both my legs are crushed, and I can feel something bleeding inside me._" The warlord coughs several times before continuing. "_Probably burned bad too, but I can't feel much anymore._"

"Whoa!" Kain exclaims, his heart leaping into his throat. "Hang in there! Let me call Sumika back, and she-"

"_No._" Backlash stops him. "_I'm not going to make it back to the MBUs. Time's up._"

Kain slumps back in his chair in shock. "I, I can't. . ." Kain starts to say.

"_I'll fly up to the leg, and blow the bomb._" Backlash tells him. "_Cover me for as long as you can, then get out of here. Tell Val, that she's in command now, and the safe is hers. She'll know what to do._"

Kain swallows hard, a lump forming in his throat. "Anything, else?" He asks hesitantly.

"_Don't let them win._" The Backlash tells him. "_This endless fighting has to end, or we're all dead._"

"You got it boss." Kain tells him, trying his best to blink away the tears.

"_Normals landing to the east._" DK tells them. "_They're coming this way._"

"_Watch my back._" The warlord tells him before boosting into the air.

"You heard the man." Kain tells DK, his voice tight. "Let's do this."

********

The wind hitting him through the hole in his core, Backlash grits his teeth against the pain of a thousand needles being driven into his burned and unprotected skin. Reaching the leg, he starts to climb up, when he sees White Glint in the air before him. Banking hard to the left, Backlash manages to avoid her first round, but the second hits the right arm, shearing it off completely. Cursing, he fights desperately to keep his AC in the air, but the task is difficult, his hands starting to go numb. Finally, after what seems like an eternal struggle, Backlash lands on the joint, the bomb in front of him, wedged between two plates of armor.

Still in the air, White Glint fires at him twice more. Undaunted, Backlash fires back with his left-hand grenade launcher, grunting as the rounds hit Hammerfall, the AC's systems blaring out warnings madly. Seeing the left arm go offline, Backlash activates his linear cannon, the large barrel swinging down and extending. Seeing it power up, Backlash smiles. "You always did come through for me old friend." He says fondly.

"_Surrender._" White Glint's voice comes through the comm., the NEXT watching the large weapon warily.

"Never." Backlash replies. "You may have won this battle, but you will never win the war. My name, is Warlord Jeremiah Backlash, pilot of AC Hammerfall, and leader of the Outer Heaven warband. Remember that name kid, cause they'll be the ones that send you, and your masters to Hell!" Lurching forward, Backlash points the cannon towards the bomb.

Realizing too late what he intends to do, White Glint fires her guns at the AC, but is too late to stop events from unfolding. Watching the LX fire, Backlash smiles, his vision going dark, then bursting into a brilliant white that lulls him to sleep.

********

Several miles from the unit, Megan and Sumika watch as the bomb explodes, a brilliant white flash that envelops a large part of the leg and body. "Wow!" Sumika exclaims. "Hope it does as much damage as it looks like its doing." Megan does not reply, the younger pilot quiet and sullen since they were ordered to leave several minutes ago. "I hope they were able to get clear of the blast in time. It looks like it, wait, something on radar." Checking her radar, Sumika waits in suspense for the identifying information to come up. Over the comm., she can hear Megan holding her breath. "One AC." Sumika declares once her radar makes the identification. "It's Kain."

As the words leave her lips, the implications hit Sumika. All too clearly, the warlord's plan unfolds before her. "No." She whispers, tears starting to form in her eyes.

"_Kain!_" Megan calls out, her voice filled with relief.

"_I'll be there in a minute._" He tells them. "_As soon as we link up, we head for the extraction point._"

"_What about the warlord?_" Megan asks worriedly.

"He's not coming back." Sumika says quietly, trying very hard not to sob. Feeling confined within the core, Sumika pulls her helmet off.

"_No. . ._" Megan says in disbelief.

"_He's dead._" Kain tells her. "_Nothing we could have done to changed that. Let's get out of here._" Wiping the tears from her eyes, Sumika sees Dark Knight approaching, the AC showing more damage then it had before they had left.

"_It's, all my fault._" Megan says quietly, shamefully.

`"_We'll deal with that later._" Kain says gruffly. "_Right now, we've been ordered to extract. Let's get the fuck out of here before something else happens._" Nodding, Sumika waits for Kain to go by, then, after taking one last look towards the site of the explosion, follows him, the knowledge that the warlord died fighting to the very end bringing little comfort to her heavy heart.

********

Sitting in the command chair on Motherwill's bridge, Damion looks down furiously at the damaged, smoking leg. "Of all the incompetent idiodicy!" He shouts, startling the bridge crew. "The most powerful weapon walking the face of the Earth, crewed by alliance's best, guarded by the vaunted Order, and what stops us? Three measly ACs and one Last Raven!" Damion slams his fist into the chair's arm in frustration.

"Sir." The chief gunner calls out hesitantly. "We have the Outer Heaven's temporary base in range of the main gun."

Looking down towards the damaged leg, Damion takes several slow, deep breaths to calm himself. "No." He says, once more calm and collected. "Let them go. They may have succeeded in slowing down our time table, but they have not stopped us. And while their victory may have been long in coming, it was a costly one." Damion smiles slightly. "Yes, costly indeed. Who would have thought that Backlash himself would sacrifice his own life to spit in our faces?"

"Sir, the Matriarch wishes to speak with you." One of the communications officers calls out.

"Tell the old crone I have more important matters to deal with." Damion says. "And please inform her that the next time I say that we are faced with a serious threat, perhaps she will understand that it is indeed, a serious threat." Nodding, the communications officer turns to relay the message. "Bring Motherwill to a full stop." Damion commands. "I want repair crews to focus on the damaged weapon systems first."

"Should we not repair the leg sir?" One of the crewman asks. "If we give the UEG time to rally, they could-"

"The UEG does not have the power to challenge The Spirit of Motherwill." Damion counters, rolling over the objection. "Once the main guns are repaired, nothing will be able to approach us. Have an engineering team assess the damage to leg, though if it is still able to move, then I highly doubt the damage is extensive."

"Yes sir." The crew man salutes.

"Also, inform Alliance command that our initial attack was a success, despite the interference from the Last Raven. Once repairs are completed, will begin phase two of the operation."

"Sir." The communications officer from earlier calls out. "The Matriarch insists that she speak with you."

"Tell the Matriarch, that unless she has information on an immediate threat to our position, or to Motherwill, I have no time to speak with her." Damion tells the man pointedly.

"Yes sir."

Nodding, Damion sits back in his chair. "Now it is our turn to rule this planet."

********

Waiting for the seals to unlock, White Glint sits in the darkened cockpit of her AC, furious. Defeated. Not in combat, but outsmarted. The sting of this truth bites deep, her lips curling back in an angry, silent snarl. Angry not at the Last Raven for escaping her, nor at the Warlord who sacrificed his life to deal The Spirit of Motherwill a powerful blow. No, the anger was directed at herself, at her own foolishness and inability to comprehend her foe's tactics. She has failed.

Finally, the core hatch opens, and White Glint climbs out of the cockpit. Stepping onto the gantry, she angrily walks towards the lift. How could I have been so foolish, the thought wracks her brain for the hundredth time since being called back to the hangar. How could I have not seen? Reaching the ground, she walks towards the hangar's main exit, order technicians and personnel quickly moving out of her way when they see her angry gait.

Exiting the hangar, she enters a hallway and goes down it, taking the second left, then a right after that. When the hall ends in a doorway, she does not hesitate to step through the portal, the door opening automatically as she approaches. Lights in the room come alive, bathing the small rectangular grey room in a dull, white light. At the center off the room is the order's seal, a white shield with a red rose over it, a pair of swords crossed beneath the shield. On the shield itself, beneath the rose is a sunburst design. Other then the emblem on the floor the only other furnishing in the room is a large screen built into the wall opposite of the door.

Coming to a stop on the seal, White Glint drops to one knee, and bows her head. "I have failed Matriarch." White Glint says out loud. "I await your punishment."

The lights in the room darken, and the screen comes alive, the same emblem she kneels on dominating the screen. "_You have not failed my child._" The Matriarch says. "_It is I who has failed you._"

"No!" White Glint objects, looking up at the screen. "I should never have given in to Belial's foolish demand. I should have slain the Last Raven while he was-"

"_You would shoot another warrior in the back?_" The matriarch asks. "_Like you were naught but a cowardly assassin?_"

"No matriarch." White Glint replies.

"_Above else my child, remember that you are not just a knight of the Order, but second of four. Others would resort to such cowardly tactics, but you my child, must be beyond such things. No, it is I who must bear the blame for this incident. It was I who did not heed the warnings of the Alliance commander. Though this Damion Batten is sometimes arrogant, he is no fool._"

"Please Matriarch." White Glint begs. "Do not take the blame for this failure. I am at fault for this."

"_Do not seek out un-necessary burden my child._" The matriarch tells her. "_For now, I will deal with this matter. Know that your performance has matched my expectations as always my child. Your skills continue to amaze even me. In time, I have no doubt that you will be first of the Four._"

"Thank you Matriarch." White Glint replies.

"_Do not look upon this day as a failure my child, but rather a moment of learning. The Last Raven must be dealt with, and when the time comes, you will be the one to slay him._"

"Perhaps, Matriarch, he can be brought over." White Glint suggests. "I sensed, something, when I spoke with him on the battlefield. A discontent, a doubt."

"_Your foe is far from doubting in his course my child._" The Martriach warns him. "_The goals he has chosen for himself are set, and I do not think he will waver from them._"

"Perhaps not Matriach." White Glint agrees. "But perhaps, his goals are similar to ours. A more detailed investigation should be done."

There is a long pause before the Matriarch replies. "_Agreed. We have already under-estimated this Outer Heaven. We must be prepared for our next clash with them. In the meantime, Belial will be returned to the temple once he is sufficiently recovered._"

"Belial lives?" White Glint asks, surprised.

"_Indeed, much to the surprise of all involved. It would seem that despite the terrible wounds he has received, he still lives, and still burns for revenge._"

"Belial is a fool." White Glint spits. "Even when he should have had the good graces to die. I do not understand Matriach, why you keep that one so close."

"_Even a fool has his uses at times._" The Matriarch tells her. "_This you will learn in time, as you will learn many other things. For now, we will focus on the matter at hand. Begin your investigation of the Outer Heaven warband, as well as this, Mars base facility._"

"As you wish Matriach." White Glint says.

"_Also be aware my child, that when the time comes, it will be you who leads the order of Dawn to battle against Outer Heaven._"

"I am not worthy of such an honor Matriarch." White Glint says. "The first is still amongst us, it is she who should lead the attack."

"_I will but say this once child._" The Matriarch warns her sternly. "_Do not let your wounded pride blind you like it has Belial. It is by my will that you will lead the attack, by my belief that you, not the first, will be better suited for the task. Remember child, this was a day of learning, not necessarily one of failure._"

"Forgive me Matriarch." White glint apologizes. "I graciously accept this honor. I will not make the same mistakes again."

"_See to it that you do not my child._" The Matriarch tells her before the emblem disappears from the screen and the lights come back to life.

"Matriarch, a moment!" White Glint calls out. "I have a request." It is several long seconds before the screen comes back to life.

"_What is it my child?_" The Matriarch asks.

"The remains of the one who detonated the bomb, the warlord Backlash." White Glint says. "I wish to claim right over them."

"_For what purpose I wonder? No child, you need not answer. I grant your request. The remains have been brought on board. Do with them what you will._"

With that, the screen once more darkens. Getting back to her feet, White Glint looks down at the emblem, lost in thought. "The Last Raven." She whispers after a bit. "I look forward to our next meeting."

********

Lying on the bed in one of the STORK's small cabin, Kain growls under his breath when someone knocks at the door.

"Kain?" Diana calls out. "I need to talk to you."

Kain debates not answering, but decides to do so. Getting to his feet, he goes to the door and opens it. "What's up?" He asks tiredly.

"How you feeling?" Diana asks him, currently wearing an orange jumper. "Somewhere between tired and really, really, pissed." Going back to the bed, Kain lies back down.

By the time they had arrived at the extraction point, the STORKs had returned, and were already packed. Once the ACs were aboard, they took to the air, and are currently making a B-line for Mars Base. "I'm surprised they didn't try to shoot us down." Diana says.

"They didn't have to." Kain mutters. "They kicked our asses good."

Diana does not reply, instead saying. "I just talked to Sumika. Megan's taking the warlord's death hard."

"She's going to get a hell of a lot more shit once we get back to base." Kain growls, sitting up. "What the hell was she thinking? Damnit! She's supposed to be better then that, a lot better!"

"It's not easy being married to the Last Raven." Diana tells him.

"That's not an excuse to try and get yourself killed." Kain grunts, running a hand through his hair. "Fuck. First Bob, now Backlash. Things can't possibly get any worse."

"The Spirit of Motherwill is still out there." Diana reminds him, earning herself a really annoyed look from Kain.

"Whatever. I need to get some sleep. Did you get the data on White Glint yet?"

"I can't deploy the MBUs while we're airborne." Diana apologizes. "But I'll have it in a day or two."

Kain nods. "You okay?" He then asks quietly.

"I'll probably breakdown later." Diana admits. "Right now, I still have too much to do."

Nodding, Kain watches Diana as she leaves the room. "White Glint." Kain sighs. "I am definitely going to take her out the next time I see her. Count on it."


	12. a new word from the author

Well, that certainly took longer then expected. Sufficed to say, 2009 was off to a hectic, and somewhat rocky start. Story wise, a few interesting questions had to be addressed, like, how tall are NEXTs compared to ACs (those of you who play AC 4A on the PS3 might have noticed some confusion), and how does one manage the very different number values between AC4 and the previous games. It took a fair bit of work, and more then a few re-writes, but hopefully everyone will find it to there liking.

To answer the two questions from above, in case there is some confusion, in game, NEXTs and ACs are roughly the same height, about 5 stories for bipedals. There is a difference in the story as you might have noticed, but with some good reasons that will become apparent further down the road. The stats question proved a little more troublesome for a couple of reasons, but I'll leave that one for later since it kind of goes along with the size issue.

Hopefully, there will be more regular updating in the future, but time will tell. Unfortunately, due to so RL issues, my current beta reader is on hiatus for an unknown amount of time. As such, the next few chapters, are going to be looking a little raw until either my current beta reader returns to the writing, or I find a new reader. If there are any beta readers out there with knowledge of armored core, please feel free to drop me a line if you are interested. Once chapters have been properly beta read and formatted, they will simply be reposted.

Comments are of course, always appreciated. Also in the works (eventually, some day), will be a section with schematics for the various ACs that appear regularly in the story. When this will occur, I do not know, but I am trying to get to it in a month or two. Other then that, the gauntlet has been thrown, and while the next few chapters will be a little slow, action will soon pick up as the war between Alliance and the UEG takes a new turn.


	13. Chapter 11

Standing on the tarmac a distance from the STORKs, Kain watches his AC unload, DK walking the AC to the elevator that will take it down to the AC garage. Dawn is just starting to break over Mars Base, the mood subdued and quiet. News of the Warlord's passing in battle had hit hard, the gruff old warrior respected and beloved by many under his command. Watching a pair of workers go by, Kain shakes his head warily. "_You okay?_" DK asks him, sensing his mood.

"We all got to go sometime." Kain replies. "Guess it's better to go out in a blaze of glory, then in your bed falling apart. Where's Val?"

"_The office._" DK replies. Nodding, Kain turns walks towards the garage entrance. On the way there, He runs into Gunner, the man sitting on a large crate by the door. "It's all over the news." Gunner tells him. "That thing the Alliance built up on the coast. Pictures and video from the battle. Got the whole continent in a panic."

"It's not invincible." Kain says. "We managed to hurt it, and next time, we'll finish the damn thing for good." Gunner nods. "That, or go down fighting. That's what the warlord would have wanted." Walking into the garage, Kain takes the first elevator up several levels to the administrative level. Stepping out, he almost runs into Jouster, the older Raven absorbed by the contents of the data pad he is reading.

"Sorry." He apologizes when he bumps into Kain. "Careful." Kain says. Hearing his voice, Jouster looks up in surprise. "When did you guys get back?" Jouster asks. "About fifteen minutes ago." Kain replies. Jouster nods. "How's Midas doing? Heard he got hit pretty bad."

"He's doing good." Kain admits. "Nothing life-threatening, so Diana was able to patch him up on site. He's going to be out of commission for awhile though." Jouster nods. "Too bad. With him down and the warlord gone, UEG might swoop in and try to take control. We'll have to be careful."

"Val won't let that happen." Kain assures her. "She's the new warlord now." Jouster frowns. "UEG might-"

"UEG can kiss my ass!" Kain snaps. "Backlash said she was in charge before he got his ticket punched, and that's the way it's gonna be." Jouster nods. "I hear ya. But the UEG might have something else in mind. But that's not for me to worry about. This batch of recruits are working out pretty well."

"Way things are going." Kain sighs. "We'll be putting them on the field a lot sooner then we had hoped." Jouster nods silently in agreement as he gets into the elevator Kain had vacated. Once the doors slide close, Kain makes his way to the office, the warlord's office near the entrance to the C&C. Seeing that the door is unlocked, Kain activates the control, the door sliding open silently. "Kain." Valkyrie says in surprise, quickly wiping tears from her eyes as he enters.

Valkyrie sits behind a large, oak desk, a piece Backlash had found long ago, and one of his more cherished possessions. Solidly built, the desk has fine, intricately carved scrollwork along its edges, and currently holds a small comm. unit and several files open and spread out across the surface. Behind the desk and to the right of the desk is a wall safe, the picture of a woman with long brown hair resting on the ground before it. "You know." Kain says, looking around. "I don't think I've ever been in here before. Was expecting, a few more things."

"Dad, the warlord." Valkyrie says. "Was going to move up a few levels. This was supposed to be my office since I was taking over C&C." Kain nods. "How you holding up?"

"He told you about the safe?" Kain nods again in reply. "I figured you were the last one he'd talk to." Valkyrie takes a moment to fight back the tears. "It's all the critical information for Outer Heaven." She explains. "Things only the warlord should have. He told me about it before he started going on missions again, in case. . ."

"He wanted you to take over." Kain says quietly. "DK, recorded it, in case-" Valkyrie shakes his head. "I know. Do you realize, that I'm the last surviving original member of Outer Heaven now?"

"News to me." Kain admits. "I was born a year before it all started." Valkyrie begins. "Dad and the others once worked for the Alliance down in the Layered, our Layered, the one we emerged from a long time ago. Most of it got destroyed back during the unmanned weapon attack, but parts of it were still in use by the Alliance. Dad was a Raven, but the others were just regular workers tired of being pushed around by the Alliance. So they left. Eventually, they found this place, and repaired it, then built it up. By then, some of the others had completed their AC piloting and became Ravens as well."

"From humble beginnings." Kain says quietly. "I, I don't know if I can do this." Valkyrie admits, her voice cracking. "You can." Kain tells her. "If only because there's no one else who can. Sure, Jouster might be able to fill in, Maybe Midas if someone helps him out, but you're the old man's flesh and blood. More importantly, it was his last wish that you took over." Valkyrie nods. "I know. I'm just, scared."

"You'd be crazy not to be." Kain grunts. "A lot of bad shit just came down on the world. Alliance just proved there still in the thick of things, and it won't be long before UEG tries to send us back out. Hell, I'll even admit that I'm a little scared to go back out there. Those NEXTs almost took me out way too many times for my liking. But the warlord wanted us to keep going. He wanted us to put an end to the fighting. Don't know how we're going to do it, but damnit, I'm going to give it a shot."

"You've changed a lot." Valkyrie says, smiling slightly. "Don't remind me." Kain grimaces. Valkyrie nods. "I'll deal with Megan a little later." She tells him. "I'm not going to kick her out; we need all the decent pilots we can get our hands on. I want to talk to Sumika first before I decide what to do with her." Kain slowly nods. "Yeah, I got to have words with her too later. Not looking forward to that, but-" Kain is interrupted when the comm. terminal on the desk beeps. "I asked not to be disturbed." Valkyrie says when she answers. "_Sorry ma'am._" The person, a young man by the sound of his voice, replies. "_We just got word from the AC garage. Diana needs you and LR down there ASAP. Her system's been hacked._"

"What?" Valkyrie exclaims. "How's that possible? That's supposed to be one of the most advanced computers in the world!" The caller is about to reply, but Valkyrie shakes her head. "We're on our way." She tells the young man before closing the call. Getting to her feet, Valkyrie takes a few seconds to make sure she looks presentable, then walks boldly towards the door. "Never let them see you sweat." Kain says quietly as she walks by him. "You coming?" Valkyrie asks him over her shoulder. Nodding, Kain follows her out of the office, and through the corridors and elevators towards the AC garage. Halfway there, the two meet up with Sumika, the other woman slightly out of breath as she comes to a stop before them.

"Diana sent me to get you guys." She explains. "We know." Valkyrie replies. "Her mainframe was hacked." Sumkia shakes her head. "Its worse then that. The entire operating system was replaced by something else, and it's got Dark Knight's repair bay under lockdown."

"Tell me you are fucking kidding!" Kain exclaims. "I wish." Sumika replies. "You better come see for yourselves." Nodding, Valkyrie follows Sumika as she leads them down towards the garage, Kain bringing up the rear.

Reaching the garage, Kain sees right away that DK's repair bay is sealed, much in the same way that the MBUs sealed themselves while working. "When did you guys figure out the system was hacked?" Valkyrie asks curiously, the three heading towards Diana's lab. "Not until we got down here." Sumika replies. "I was uploading data from Desperado's sensors when I noticed that the access codes to the system were reversed. Diana started to run a diagnostic, but the system shut her out."

"What about the other repair bays?" Valkyrie asks. "Still working." Sumika replies. Reaching the lab entrance, the three walk through the airlock and into the waiting room. "Whatever infected her system has been running things exactly like we expected her mainframe to. Except now, we can't access it, or Dark Knight's repair bay."

"I have managed to access DK's core programming." Diana tells them as they enter the computer room, her voice cold and emotionless. "What happened?" Valkyrie asks her. "Several days before the wedding, the mainframe experienced a system wide error that forced a server-wide reboot. Originally, we were under the impression that this was do to some sort of illegal data entry. I was partially correct in this assumption, but the scale was much larger then I had originally thought. In truth, the attacker used a brute force method to overwhelm the original system security, then established itself as a super-user."

"Why the hell did it do that?" Kain asks, frowning as he tries to keep up with her explanation. "The attacker required administrative level access in order to download a massive amount of data. Using this data, he rebuilt the mainframe's operating system literally from the ground up. In the span of several days, the attacker managed to re-write the operational code of over ninety-three percent of all computer systems within Mars Base, as well as any other hardware attached to the mainframe."

"Are you telling me that this, attacker, has control of Mars Base?" Valkyrie exclaims. "No." Diana replies. "Once the code replacement was completed, the attacker withdrew his presence into my mainframe, and remained there until we returned from the coast. Once Dark Knight docked, the attacker came out of hiding, and assumed control of my system and Dark Knight's repair bay."

"What is this attacker anyways?" Kain asks. "Some kind of virus?" Diana shakes her head. "Though it does have viral qualities, it is clearly not a virus. The Attacker is some sort of advanced program, possibly AI driven. It has thus far ignored all attempts to communicate with it, and has yet to make its presence overtly known to myself or any others."

"We got lucky when we found it." Sumika continues. "Once we realized something was wrong with the system, I started doing a scan of the recent memory dumps, and found a bunch of digital footprints. We can tell where it's been once it's moved, but we have no way of tracking the thing in real time."

"And this was all before you were locked out of the system?" Valkyrie asks. "Pretty much." Sumika agrees. "Wait." Kain says, a thought suddenly occurring to him. "What about me? With my human plus, I've been plugged into your mainframe a couple times before we left for whatever the hell you do to me when I get plugged in."

"You're human plus factoring has been untouched." Diana assures him. "It is part of the seven percent of Mars Base's systems that the attacker completely avoided."

"What else was unaffected?" Valkyrie asks. "Communications and waste management." Diana replies. "Great." Kain mutters, crossing his arms over his chest. "So now we don't have to worry about the crappers exploding or something. So who sent this thing? Was it Alliance? Maybe those Order people?" Looking up at one of the screens, Diana shakes her head. "At this point, there is no way to determine who is responsible for this incursion, as well as how or why. Until I can find a way back into the system, there is nothing I can do."

"What about DK?" Valkyrie asks. "You said you were able to access DK's core programming." Diana nods. "Correct. It appears her core programming was downloaded onto the mainframe shortly after Dark Knight docked in its repair bay. This in itself is standard operating procedure for full systems maintenance. If we can somehow awaken her, it is possible she will be able to help us subdue the Attacker, and regain some control over the systems."

"Alright." Valkyrie says. "Keep me apprised of the situation." Diana nods as Valkyrie leaves the room. "What about Dark Knight?" Kain asks. "Something's going on within the repair bay." Sumika admits. "We don't know what though."

"All systems within the repair bay are currently active." Diana continues. "However, several of the systems within the repair bay have been modified. I have no idea what is currently being done to the AC."

"Hopefully, they aren't taking it apart." Kain grimaces. "Doubt it." Sumika replies, skimming through the contents of a datapad. "Take a look of at this." Curious, Diana goes over to Sumika and takes the pad. "How, odd." She murmurs as she skims through its contents. "What?" Kain asks worriedly. "This is a recent inventory of the repair equipment, parts, and other raw materials used to maintain Outer Heaven's ACs." Diana explains. "It appears that most of it is currently missing. I can only assume that the missing materials are being used by Dark Knight's repair bay."

"For?" Kain asks. "In case you did not hear me early." Diana says, a hint of anger in her voice. "I have no way to access the mainframe. I do not know what is going on!" Kain quickly holds up his hands. "Alright, I get it! Just let me know if you hear anything. If we lose Dark Knight, we're screwed."

"I understand your concern." Diana assures him. "But at the moment, if we cannot regain control of my mainframe from the Attacker, Dark Knight may be least of our problems."

********

Lying in bed, his body swathed in bandages, Midas groans slightly in pain. Hearing him, Maya is immediately by his side, a look of concern on her face. "Are you okay honey?" Maya asks quietly, but gets no answer from the sleeping man. Sighing, she goes back to the chair by his bed, and takes a weary seat in it. "Is everything all right?" Doctor Andrew Benson asks as he comes towards the bed. A middle-aged man, Doctor Benson has short, Dark blonde hair and matching beard and blue eyes. As usual, the doctor is immaculately dressed, his white lab coat devoid of any stains, an old stethoscope around his neck.

"He's fine." Maya replies. "Still asleep." Doctor Benson nods. "Given the amount of medication I injected, he should be out for a few more hours. You should go get some rest." Maya shakes her head. "No, I'm fine."

"If you insist." The doctor says. Turning, he starts back towards his office, but stops when he sees someone enter the infirmary. "Ah, hello Warlord." Surprised, Maya gets up and spins around to face the new arrival, but relaxes when she sees that it is Valkyrie. "I'm not warlord yet." Valkyrie tells the doctor. "But you will be." Benson insists. "I will be." She agrees. "But the change over won't be official until after the funeral." Doctor Benson nods. Seeing that she is engaged with the doctor, Maya takes her seat once more.

"How's Midas doing?" Valkyrie then asks. "Sleeping." The doctor replies. "Diana did a good job on treating his various injuries, but she really should think about getting an actual physician to staff the, what does she call them now?"

"MBUs." Valkyrie supplies. "Yes." Doctor Benson nods. "MBUs. I know the point has been brought up before, but she really should-"

"I'll look into it later." Valkyrie assures him. Nodding, the doctor returns to his office, Valkyrie going towards the Maya and Midas. "How's he doing?" She asks. "The doctor says he'll make a full recovery." Maya replies. "But not anytime soon." Valkyrie nods. "You're going to be on base defense for the next little while."

"That would be a bad idea." Maya objects. "I'm one of the few heavies till in operation and-"

"And nothing." Valkyrie cuts in. "Right now, Outer Heaven isn't going anywhere. UEG is still scratching their heads over that thing, Motherwill. Even if they do call us up, I doubt a single heavy will make a difference right now. Just make sure Midas gets back on his feet. And try not to kill each other in the process." Maya smirks slightly at her words. "That part of our relationship is over, mostly." Valkyrie nods. "Good to hear. The last thing I need is for one of you to do another naked run through the garage."

"That won't happen again." Maya assures her, blushing slightly. "There is, something, I wanted to ask you." Maya then says hesitantly, her tone turning serious. "I've been hearing rumors that the warlord died because of insubordination in the field." Valkyrie frowns. "From who?" She demands. "I heard some of the garage personnel talking." Maya explains. "But I'm sure the talk has made its way around the base. No one thinks that Kain was involved, but Megan and Sumika. . ."

Valkyrie snorts. "The Warlord was injured while fighting with one of the NEXT-type ACs. According to recordings made by Dark Knight, the Warlord knew he was dying, and thus sacrificed his life to detonate the bomb. If anyone was responsible for his injuries, they will pay for it, but at this time, everyone involved in the operation did what they were supposed to do. Sometimes, people die, no matter what we do."

"I know." Maya says, nodding. "I wasn't there, but, when they reached the extraction point-"

"Grief and anger can make people say and do strange things in the spur of the moment." Valkyrie tells her. "You should know something about that." Maya's face darkens slightly at her words, but the other woman keeps remains silent. "At this time." Valkyrie says. "I have seen no evidence to support these rumours, and once I've had a chance to de-brief the others, I will make an official announcement."

"I understand." Maya tells her. "In the meantime, just focus on keeping your man going." Valkyrie tells her. "It won't be long before the fighting picks up again, and when it does, everyone's going to the field."

********

Several hours later, Valkyrie is looking through the latest reports from UEG Intel when her door chimes. "Enter." She calls out absently. Seconds later, the door opens, and Megan hesitantly walks into the room. Seeing her, Valkyrie barely manages to suppress a white-hot flash of rage that suddenly grips her. Seeing the brief look on her face, Megan takes an involuntary step back. But as quickly as it comes, Valkyrie manages to regain her composure, and suppresses her anger, for now.

"I've finished reading Kain and Sumika's de-briefings." She begins, her voice its usual calm. "I-" Megan starts to say. "Shut it!" Valkyrie snaps. "There is nothing, nothing! You can say to explain your actions in the field. You disobeyed a direct order from your superior officer, put everyone's lives at risk, and for what?"

"I'm sorry." Megan says quietly. "Sorry doesn't cut it." Valkyrie tells her angrily. "If it were up to me, I'd have you in front of a firing squad or hung before the sun finished setting today. If I wasn't going to become the warlord of this warband, I'd beat you to death with my own bare hands! Because of you, my father is dead!" The last part comes out a scream of anger and anguish. Shaking, Valkyrie sits back down, and takes a minute to regain her composure again. Her head bowed, Megan stares shamefully at the floor.

"You're going to be reprimanded for your stunt during the first encounter with the NEXT-type ACs." Valkyrie finally says, once more calm. "But as far as the rest of the world is concerned, that one AC, Belial, got lucky." Hearing this, Megan looks up at Valkyrie in shock. "I want you out of this base." Valkyrie says angrily. "But right now, we need all the good pilots we can get. The Alliance is getting ready to make their big push, and we have to be ready to stop it. And to do that, we need all hands at the ready. I've already talked to Kain and Sumika. They'll go with the story I'm going to present in a bit. I suggest you do the same. But make no mistake: your record is the only reason why you're still here."

"But." Megan starts to say, then falls briefly silent. "As you say." She then says quietly. "Over the last year, you've become a loose cannon trying to be Kain's wingman." Valkyrie tells her. "Backlash was putting up with it because you haven't caused any real damage or problems, but your last few missions were going to be put up for review when he came back from the coast. Consider this your last warning. Get your act together, because the next time, I will have you court-marshalled."

"I understand." Megan tells her. "If, If I may ask. What has Kain said about all this?" Valkyrie regards her for several long seconds before replying. "Nothing. He hasn't said anything about all this." Megan looks at her in surprise. "My guess." Valkyrie continues. "Is that he feels partially responsible for all this. If I were you, I'd stay away for a few days, until he's ready to deal with you. Now get out of my office before I change my mind." Nodding, Megan salutes, and stiffly leaves the office. Once she is gone, and the door closes behind her, Valkyrie looses the last of her composure, beating her hand angrily against the desk as she starts to cry.


	14. Chapter 12

Kain is startled awake by a beeping. Though still half asleep, his enhanced reflexes bring him up into a sitting position as he subconsciously searches for the source of the beeping. "This better be important." Kain mutters when he realizes that someone is trying to contact him on his personal comm. unit. "This better be important." Kain repeats angrily when he answers. "_We need you down at the runway sir._" A female voice tells him. "_A transport just arrived with suspicious cargo. The pilot says he can only release it to the Last Raven._"

"Suspicious how?" Kain asks. "_Apparently, the sender is one, White Glint._" Hearing the name banishes the last traces of sleep from his mind. "Say what?" He exclaims. "_White Glint sir._" The caller repeats. "Damnit." Kain curses. "Alright, sound the alarm. I want at least two ACs on the tarmac ready to fight by the time I get down there. Get the base defenses online too while your at it, and someone call Sumika, have her meet me down there."

"_Will do sir._" The woman replies before signing off. Getting to his feet, Kain realizes that he had slept on the couch again. Frowning, he checks the bedroom, and sees the bed hasn't been slept in. "Where'd she go?" Kain says absently. "_Where'd who go?_" DK asks, his voice surprising him. "Don't do that!" He yelps in surprise. "_Well excuse me!_" DK replies testily. "Good to hear you back online." Kain sighs. "When did you get back online?"

"_About an hour ago._" DK replies. "_As soon as I woke up, that thing in Diana's mainframe dumped me into a sub-system. I couldn't stop it since I was still in boot-up._"

"So much for that idea." Kain mutters. "Can you find out where Megan's been hiding? She didn't come in last night."

"_Will do._" Nodding, Kain makes a quick stop in the bathroom to make sure he still looks presentable, then leaves his room, a few steps short of running towards the runway.

********

Standing a distance from the parked STORK transport, Sumika chews her lip nervously. "What's going on?" Kain asks as he approaches. "Not much." Sumika replies as she turns to face him. "The pilot radioed in that he had a delivery for you. He didn't mention the fact that he came from the coast or that the cargo was from White Glint until after he landed."

Looking around, Kain sees three ACs standing off in the distance, all of them with weapons pointed at the STORK. "Those the rookies?" Kain asks curiously. "Yeah." Sumika replies. "Right now, they're the only ACs that aren't either damaged, or possibly infected by the Attacker."

"Great." Kain mutters sarcastically. "Alright, where's the pilot? And has anyone had a chance to look at the cargo yet?"

"In the tower." Sumika tells him. "And no, the pilot refuses to open the bay doors until you've signed off on the manifest. I think he's scared of something."

"He'd better be scared of me if he knows what's good for him." Kain says. "Alright, let's go meet the man." The two make their way to the runway control tower. Inside, they are directed to one of the small rooms at the base of the tower, where two guards in full combat gear stand watch over an older man in an alliance flight suit holding a data pad. "Alright." Kain declares as he enters the room. "I'm Kain. What's in the STORK?" Seeing him, the man breathes a sigh of relief. "About time." He mutters. "This cargo's been more trouble then its worth, even if that woman paid me double to get it here."

"By woman, you mean White Glint?" Sumika asks. "Don't know." The pilot replies. "She didn't give me any names except for the one I was supposed to put down as the sender. Real pretty little thing, but man, she's was a cold one." The pilot hands Kain a datapad. Taking it, Kain checks the contents and frowns when he sees a communications frequency. "Looks like someone wants to talk." Kain says absently. "I don't have the codes to disarm the security." The pilot tells him. "She never gave them to me. Guess she wants to talk to you first."

"What security?" Sumika asks suspiciously. "They've sealed the cargo." The pilot explains nervously. "Said that if I tried to open it without the codes, the whole thing would blow. I didn't ask for this shit, let me tell you!"

"Relax you old fart." Kain mutters before leaving the room. "Go check out this security crap they're talking about." Kain tells Sumika once she too is out of the room and the door closed. "I'm gonna head upstairs and see who wants to talk."

"Shouldn't it be White Glint?" Sumika asks. "Who knows?" Kain says. "Alliance built a freaking monster under everyone's nose? I'm not too trusting right now." Nodding, Sumika leave the tower while Kain goes over to the elevator and calls it down. Checking the datapad again, he finds nothing on it save for the communications frequency and a note addressing the pad to him. "What's they're game now?" He wonders aloud, stepping into the elevator once it arrives.

Several seconds later, Kain steps off the elevator into the tower's control room. "Someone put a call to this number." He says, tossing the pad to the nearest worker. "Anything else popping up on sensors?"

"No sir." Another tech sitting at the radar station replies. "Too early in the week for any real air traffic, and even then, UEG have things locked down fairly tight in panic mode." Kain grunts, going to the window to look down towards the tarmac, and the STORK transport with its mysterious package. "Has there been anything coming out of the coast lately?" Kain asks absently. "Nothing that we've heard of sir." The same tech replies. "But it is out of our operational range. I could put in a few inquiries if you want."

"Don't bother." Kain tells the man, his personal comm. unit beeping. "Was just curious." Checking the unit, Kain sees that it is Sumika. "_There's definitely something wired to the doors._" Sumika tells him once he answers. "_We're going to have to get someone with explosives knowledge down here though to figure out the what and the how._"

"How dangerous is it?" Kain asks. "_How should I know? I'm not a bomb tech! All I can tell is that every primary entrance into the STORK's wired. Even some of the secondary ones too._" Kain takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "Alright." He starts to say when one of the techs calls out. "Sir, we have a connection. Someone wants to talk to you."

"Give me a minute." He tells Sumika before signing off his comm. unit. Going over to the tech who had spoken, Kain takes the seat that the technician offers him. On the screen before him is the picture of a white shield with a red rose on it, a pair of swords crossed beneath the shield. "I'm here." Kain says once he is seated. "_Greetings Raven._" White Glint replies from the other end. "_I am elated to see that my package has arrived in time._"

"And what, exactly, is in that package?" Kain asks. "Cause right now, its a few short steps away from getting blown straight to hell. Assuming of course, it isn't a bomb."

"_Is that what you think it is?_" She asks him curiously. "The way things are right now." Kain says evenly. "Anything coming from Alliance is usually dangerous and/or nasty in some way. No offense."

"_I can understand your suspicions._" White Glint admits. "_But you need not worry. The transport contains an important cargo, one I am certain you would have retrieved had you not been forced to make your escape after damaging The Spirit of Motherwill._"

"And what would that be?" Kain asks. "_The remains of the warlord Jeremiah Backlash._" Kain looks at the screen in shock. "Say what?" He exclaims. "_The warlord's Normal proved to be quite more resilient then we had thought._" White Glint exclaims. "_Though most of the Normal was destroyed, the core and some other parts remained, as well as the corpse of the Warlord himself. Though the body was badly damaged, it is nonetheless intact._"

"So you sent it to us?" Kain asks suspiciously. "_Is he not your leader?_" White Glint asks. "Damn right he was." Kain replies. "And a real tough sonnova bitch too. Don't get me wrong, if that really is him in there, we'll have him back. Man deserves a proper funeral."

"_But you doubt my sincerity in this matter._" White Glint points out. "_Perhaps your memory is faulty Raven. I am not of the Alliance. We of the Order of the Dawn live and fight with honor. The Warlord proved himself in battle countless times. Even to his last, he fought fiercely. It is only proper that his remains be returned to his family, so that he may be honoured one last time. Make no mistake Last Raven: We are still enemies, and the next time we meet, I will not hesitate to kill you. But in this, we are temporary allies of sorts. You have my word Raven: This is no trick._"

Kain regards the screen for several long seconds. "Alright." He finally says. "You've been on the up and up so far, so I'll buy it."

"_Thank you._"

"But." Kain adds. "The next time I see you, I'm putting you out of commission."

"_I eagerly look forward to your attempt._" White Glint replies, almost purring, a sound that catches Kain by surprise. "Right. So how do I open the transport?"

"_I have already sent the de-activation signal._" White Glint tells him. "_No doubt your engineers would have found a way to deactivate it given time, but in this way, you will have time to mourn your dead. The pilots return flight path has already been inputted into his transport's navigation systems. Please inform him of this before his departure._"

"Alright. Be seeing you whitey."

"_Be prepared, Blacky._" White Glint replies before cutting the connection at her end. "Order of the Dawn eh?" Kain mutters absently, staring at the image still on screen. "Make sure a copy of that gets to Diana." He tells the tech. "I'm going downstairs to see what's going on."

********

Half an hour later, Kain, Sumika, and Valkyrie stand by the open bay door of the STORK transport. Inside, the remains of AC Hammerfall are clearly visible, the head and left arm still attached to the core, the right arm and left leg strapped to the deck. Seeing the damage, Valkyrie could not help but cry, Sumika doing her best to comfort the other woman. Standing a polite distance away, Kain debates going in, but decides not to, when Doc Benson and Diana come walking down the ramp. "Is it?" Valkyrie asks once they get close.

"There was, extensive damage to the body." The doctor says hesitantly. "It's going to have to be a closed casket, but it is Jeremiah." Hearing this, Valkyrie breaks into a new wave of tears. "The AC is scrap." Diana says quietly. "There's just too much damage to really salvage anything. But, the LX, is still operational."

"You sure?" Kain asks, surprised. "The Hammer lives." Diana says. "Some of the parts are fused, there's a few dents to pound out, a piece or two here to replace, but it's nothing that can't be fixed. Unless. . ."

"You fix it." Valkyrie orders her, looking up at the other woman. "You fix it, and you enhance it."

"Enhance?" Diana asks hesitantly. "You know what I mean." Valkyrie tells her. Diana thinks for several seconds, then starts. "You don't mean?"

"Fix it." Valkyrie orders her before turning and walking off. "What was that about?" Sumika asks Kain quietly. "Don't know." He admits, looking over at Diana. "It, was a contingency project." She admits hesitantly. "That the warlord, I mean, Backlash, was thinking about having me implement."

"Which is?" Kain asks. "I'm not at liberty to say." Diana replies, shaking her head. "I didn't even realize Val knew about it."

"Maybe it was in the safe." Sumika suggests. "The thing was supposed to hold all the keys."

"Most likely." Diana agrees. "But either way, I can't do much until I regain control of my mainframe." Kain opens his mouth to ask her how that is going, when Doctor Benson politely clears his throat. "If it's alright with you." He says. "I need to remove the warlord's body. I still have to do a preliminary autopsy to confirm cause of death before the wake this evening."

"Of course." Sumika tells him. "Go ahead, I'll take care of the paper work." Doctor Benson nods. "Thank you. If you'll excuse me." The doctor takes his leave, Sumika following him. "Why would White Glint do this?" Diana asks. "I mean, it's not like Alliance to-"

"Order of the Dawn." Kain speaks up suddenly. "What?" Diana asks. "White Glint, she isn't Alliance." He explains. "She's part of something called the Order of the Dawn. I'll bet you next month's pay they're the one's fielding the NEXTs, and probably the brains behind that giant pain-in-our-asses walking along the coast right now. My guess is that they're allied with the Alliance."  
"You sure they're not just some special part of Alliance Tactical?" Diana asks. "No." Kain grunts, shaking his head. "She kept making a point of reminding me that she isn't Alliance. Whoever these guys are, they're their own little group."

"Group of what though is the question." Diana sighs. "Anyways, I need to take care of Hammerfall. If you get a chance, maybe go talk to Val before the wake?" Kain nods. "I'll do that a little later. Right now, I got something that needs doing."

********

Sitting in the warlord's office, Valkyrie is slowly flipping through an old photo album. In it, are cherished memories: pictures of her mother and father, pictures of her when she was younger, and even some that had been recently taken in the last year. Pictures Backlash, her father, had been carefully keeping, a photographic history or their lives. Flipping through the pages. Valkyrie tries to lose herself in the memories, tries to forget about the pain that weighs heavily on her heart. Unfortunately, reality will not let her rest, the comm. unit on her desk beeping for her attention.

Sighing, Valkyrie puts the album down, and after taking a moment to dry her eyes, answers. "What is it?"

"_The Alliance representative is here to see you._" Tina tells her. "_It's Bren._"

"Send him in." Valkyrie tells her before closing the comm. Seconds6desjar

later, her door chimes, and Overseer Bren walks in. In his mid-fifties, Bren has an air of authority about him, his face affixed with what many believe to be a permanent scowl, though at the moment, it is soften slightly with a look of sadness. His steel gray hair is starting to thin, but is still neatly combed back. As he always seems to, Bren wears a three-piece suit, a heavy trench coat over his shoulders. He leans heavily on a cane, the hand sculpted in the form of a long, sinewy dragon.

"How are you doing my child?" The one time overseer of the last Layered asks. "I've been better." Valkyrie replies, getting up out of her chair. Going around the desk, Valkyrie and Bren hug briefly. After the collapse of the Layered, and the death of the last controller unit on Earth, the surviving refugees of the Layered were without a home. Many eventually made their home with the UEG in Baylore city, including the Overseer and his assistant Kai, now his adopted son. Despite this, Bren and the warlord had developed a friendly relationship, one that Valkyrie had been privy too over the last five years.

"When I heard the he had been killed." Bren says once they separate. "I almost hit the man who had brought me the news. I never thought Backlash would meet his end in the field."

"Its how he would have preferred to go." Valkyrie says quietly. "But, we were out-matched out there."

"Yes." Bren agrees. "These NEXT-type ACs. Quite remarkable really. UEG engineers have been studying the data that was collected during the Panarkair campaign, though I am certain that Doctor Killian will make much better headway once she has regained control from the intruder."

"Does UEG know about that?" Valkyrie asks worriedly. "No." Bren replies, shaking his head. "Kai received a message from the doctor asking for his assistance in the decryption. Since the Layered systems were much more advanced then what is currently being used here on the surface, he has become quite adept at dealing with troublesome computer systems. I believe he is down there now assisting in the fight." Valkyrie nods, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Does the UEG trouble you so?" Bren asks curiously. "Dad wasn't getting along with some of the brass." Valkyrie explains, going around the desk and taking a seat. "Word was that he was going to be given a very high place in the military, a lot higher then most others would have wanted him to get, and one that was going to cause some waves. With him gone now, there's been talk of Outer Heaven been ceded to the UEG military." Bren nods. "Yes, that is one of the reasons why I have come. Officially in any event. The review board that is to make that decision has sent me here to investigate, and determine whether or not it will be necessary to amalgamate Mars Base and the Outer Heaven warband ahead of schedule."

Valkyrie gives the old man a worried look. "Oh, don't worry." He chuckles. "I already wrote my report. Did it on the flight here in fact. If you'd like, you are welcome to read it."

"Shouldn't you do some investigating first?" Valkyrie asks. "Hardly." Bren snorts. "The ones pushing for the takeover of Outer Heaven are your father's opponents within the UEG, most of which are snivelling bureaucrats that were offended when he would not bend backwards for them. In truth, most of the concerns and accusations put forward are complete fabrications and groundless rumors. And while I do believe in the ideal of the UEG, I will not be party to such shameful politicking."

"Which is why you're here." Valkyrie says. "In part." Bren agrees, chuckling. "After spending a better part of my life running a large segment of the Layered, working with the UEG has been rather, simple. It does have its complexities mind you, but they are far from the bureaucracy that ran the Layered. Their were some who opposed my being named as investigator, but my reputation for being an efficient, and somewhat merciless, administrator made me ideal for the task." Bren smiles slightly. "And your father, was quite the efficient man when it came to his warband."

"I don't know if I'm ready though." Valkyrie sighs. "Perhaps not yet." Bren agrees. "But I see in you the best of your father, and some of his less favourable qualities as well. In time, I have no doubt that you will be a fine leader worthy of his name. You also have a loyal and excellent staff." Valkyrie nods. "I just hope I can live up to their expectations."

"I'm certain you will." Bren chuckles. "But on a more serious note: Of the dozen or so warbands that will be amalgamated into the UEG military, Outer Heaven is the only one that has not required any form of EUG intervention, be it in supplies, leadership, or in one case, military action to quell internal conflicts. Even after your father began taking to the field again and left you in command, the warband's efficiency is still one of the highest in the military. Certainly, the current situation will be your trial by fire, but I have confidence that you will endure."

"I hope so." Valkyrie sighs. "But, let's get down to business for now." Bren nods in agreement. "We're going to have a full briefing tomorrow, but before that, there's a few things I want to talk to you about."

"Such as?" Bren asks. "Before you got here, Diana sent me a message. According to information gathered by Kain, the NEXT-type ACs are being fielded by a group called, The Order of The Dawn." Bren nods. "I see. That is most interesting."

"Then you know something?" Valkyrie asks. "I do." Bren agrees. "However, it may not be what you expect."

********

After some searching, Kain finds Megan on the terrace where they had held the wedding a few short days ago. "Been less then a week since those two got married." Kain says out loud. Surprised, Megan spins around, tensing, but relaxes when she sees that it is him. "But it feels like it's been ages already."

"It has." Megan agrees. "Kain, I-"

"Save it." Kain tells her. "Until I've said my piece first." Megan nods. "I heard what Val did, and frankly, I think she's wrong." Hearing this Megan looks up at Kain in surprise. "You were sloppy and stupid out there." He continues. "You know damn well you can't go one on one with a NEXT. Hell, I had a hard enough time keeping up with them as it was. What you did out there was reckless, stupid, and cost the life of a good man who was like a father to a lot of people. Frankly, you got off real lucky."

"Why are you telling me this?" Megan demands. "Because you need a damn reality check!" Kain roars. "Every time we go out there, I got this nagging voice in the back of my head wondering when you're going to do something stupid that might get you hurt or worse! Frankly, it's getting real annoying. You need to stop chasing me out there damnit!" Megan looks at him as though he had just slapped her. "Do you really think so little of me?" She asks him quietly.

"When I get sent out into the field." Kain tells her. "It's to take care of the stuff they know other ACs can't do. I don't take missions just cause it might be a little tricky: I take the ones that no one else can do."

"Because you are the Last Raven." Megan says bitterly. "Yeah." Kain agrees. "I'm the latest Last fucking Raven. People expect me to make miracles. But even I can't do the impossible. I do what I can." Kain sighs. "That's all I got to say right now. As far as what happened out there, I'll go with what Val put out earlier. That bastard Belial got lucky. But if you really want to make up for what happened, you better start toeing the line like the others. We're a unit. We work together, and if we have to fly solo, we do it cause we have to. But so help me, if you put anyone else's life in danger like you did the other day. . ." Kain shakes his head. "I'll see you at the wake."

Turning, Kain walks back towards the door into the base, when Megan calls out. "Do you ever regret what we did?" She asks him. "Did what?" Kain asks, stopping and looking over his shoulder at her. "Marrying." Megan replies. Kain thinks for a second, then shakes his head. "Nope." He replies. "There've been more then a few days I've wanted to throttle you, but no, I don't regret it. I sometimes wonder though, if you do." With that, Kain takes his leave of the Terrace, leaving Megan alone with her thoughts.

********

Later that evening, Kain arrives at one of the larger nameless rooms of Mars Base. Inside, tables and chairs have been setup, a large crowd of base personnel and other people who had flown in during the day in attendance. At the head of the room, is a large, dark grey casket, the lid closed. Resting on the casket is a large picture of the warlord Backlash, his AC hammerfall in the background, his signature LX linear cannon down and firing. More flowers are sitting on stands and tables near the casket.

Looking around, Kain sees Midas, Maya, Sumika, Jouster, Tina, and Diana off to the side. "Where's Val?" Kain asks as he joins the group. "She hasn't arrived yet." Tina tells him. "But she'll be here soon."

"I saw Bren when I got here." Midas says, his voice raspy. The large man is sitting in a wheelchair, his head swathed in bandaged, as well as the parts of his body visible from under the large housecoat he is wearing. "He's here with the UEG." Tina explains. "Came to, investigate us."

"That going to be trouble?" Jouster asks. "No." Kain shakes his head. "Bren and the warlord were real chummy. No way he'd turn on us."

"He isn't." Sumika says. "I talked to him earlier. He's already written his report for the UEG stiffs trying to screw us. Val's taking over, one way or another." The others voice their agreement, then fall silent. "I saw, Megan earlier." Midas says. "She looked, bad." Sumika looks over at Kain, a hint of concern on her face. "She's blaming herself for what happened." Kain sighs. "Is there a reason for it?" Maya asks. "No." Kain grunts. "When it's your time, it's your time. Yeah, she was out of position, but even if she had been, there was nothing she could have done."

"Just like the speech." Midas says sadly. "The speech?" Tina asks. "I told you about that." Jouster says. "You know, the one the warlord used to give to all the new pilots." Tina nods her head in understanding. "I never got the speech." Sumika says. "That's cause you were never an official member of Outer Heaven until just recently." Kain says. "You were gonna get the speech when he got back from the coast." Midas nods. "Yeah. The warlord was even supposed to call in to give Maya speech during the reception."

"He was?" Maya asks, surprised. "All the pilots get the speech." Kain says. "I think it was one of the few things he'd look forward to. A chance to put the fear of Backlash into the new recruits."

"It worked for me." Midas mumbles. "What about you?" Tina asks Jouster. "He didn't give me the speech." Jouster says. "You didn't need it." Kain points out. "You've been piloting about as long as Backlash had been."

"Longer." Jouster corrects. "But I knew about the speech." Jouster chuckles fondly. "The warlord would never let me say it. He always kept that little pleasure for himself. But it worked though. Saw a lot of cocky pilots get weak in the knees after getting the speech from the warlord."

"I wonder who's gonna give it now?" Sumika asks absently. "What is so special about this speech anyways?" Maya asks. "The induction speech that Backlash gave to every new pilot that joined Outer Heaven." Kain explains. "He used it to impart a little wisdom, and to make sure the rookies knew who was really in charge, and what would happen if they screwed up."

"The way the warlord talked about it." Jouster says. "You were the only one who didn't get too shook up by it. But back then, you always were a real cocky little bastard."

"He still is." Sumika snorts. "Anyways." Kain continues. "The speech's been changed over the years, but a few lines were always there." Midas nods. "If you're going to go, make sure you go with your boots on, your finger on the trigger, and guns blazing until the very end."

"I remember Backlash said something like that at Greenhorn's funeral." Sumika says. "I always thought it was a little corny. Boots on?" Kain shrugs. "I never really understood that part myself. I'll be back in a minute." Breaking from the group, Kain makes his way to the front, and catches up to Valkyrie as she arrives at the coffin. "How you doing?" He asks her quietly. "I'll live." She replies. "How are you doing?"

"Oh, you know me." Kain chuckles. "Yeah." Valkyrie replies, smiling slightly. The two spend a silent moment looking at the picture of warlord Backlash. "Do you remember the first time we did it?"

"And got caught?" Kain asks. "Don't remind me. I swear, the guy looked like he was gonna climb into his AC, and use me for target practice."

"He actually did make it to his AC." Valkyrie says. "And was going to use you for target practice, but Gunner heard about what had happened before hand, and disabled Hammerfall's generator." Kain looks at her in surprise. "You kidding me?" Valkyrie shakes her head. "You remember what he had said while you were running for your life?" Kain shakes his head. "He said something, but I was a little too busy running for my life to catch it."

"He said 'Nobody touches my daughter until she's good and ready'." Valkyrie sobs slightly. "He was always like that. He had to be tough because he was the warlord, but he really did care about everyone, even if he couldn't show it." Nodding, Kain puts his arm around her comfortingly as Valkyrie starts to cry. After a bit, Valkyrie regains some of her composure, wiping the tears from her eyes with a tissue. "What was the last thing he said to you?" Valkyrie asks him. "I'll understand if, you don't want to talk about it."

"He didn't ask me to take care of you if that's what your wondering." Kain tells her. "You would be the last person he'd ask for that." Valkyrie tells him ruefully. "He said." Kain says, his voice getting serious. "Don't let them win. This endless fighting has to end, or we're all dead." Kain puts a hand on the casket. "When you think about it, the fighting was almost over. One real good push, and Alliance would have been gone. UEG would have their world government, and the wars would finally be over, at least for a little while. Who knows, maybe the peace would last long enough for us to finally get our act together as a species."

"He was pushing for that." Valkyrie says. "For an end to the fighting. Peace talks, ceasefires, mutual disarmament pacts. That's one of the reasons why he wasn't too popular in some circles. But he was right: The fighting has to end. But it can't end while Alliance is still out there. As long as the corporations are still out there grabbing for power, we'll never have peace."

"Don't worry." Kain assures her. "I think it's safe to say that Alliance has got some pay back coming, in a real big way."

"I just hope, we're all still around to see it." Valkyrie says quietly.

********

"_I am impressed my child._"

"_Matriach? Forgive me, I did not realize it was-_"

"_Do not fret so my child. I have just been informed of what you did with the remains of the warlord. I merely wished to tell you, how proud I am. Few others, even within the Order, would have done what you did. I am very pleased._"

"_Thank you Matriarch. I am pleased that you approve of my actions. The warlord was an exceptional commander, more so then many of the others on this planet. And he fought bravely to end. He did not flinch or hesitate when the time came. It seemed only right that he be given a true burial._"

"_Our informants have indicated that this is occurring as we speak my child. But enough of this matter. There is another I wish to discuss with you._"

"_I will arrive at the Scissor Forest facility within the hour Matriarch. Our forces have already begun preparing for the deployment, and the fort is ready for battle. I will begin inspections and final preparations for deployment upon arrival._"

"_I see. And when will you launch the attack?_"

"_Our projected time table is three days from now, at dawn. Any sooner and we risk exposure._"

"_Excellent. Additional forces will arrive in time for the attack. They will be under your command as well my child. But be cautious. The Outer Heaven warband has proven resourceful. I have no doubt they will be a formidable foe._"

"_I agree matriarch, but I have taken precautions, perhaps more so then necessary. Rest assured, when the time comes, Outer Heaven will be no more._"

"_And the Last Raven?_"

"_I still believe that he can be swayed to our cause, but I have a concern Matriarch. I fear that we may have chosen the wrong faction to ally with. The Alliance, their philosophy is-_"

"_I am aware of this my child, but that is not something you need concern yourself with. There are many things in motion that you are not privy too. Focus on the task set before you, and in time, all will become clear._"

"_As you say Matriarch, so shall it be._"


	15. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 - Attacker

Night has fallen. A cold wind blows over the small graveyard, but Kain ignores it, his thoughts focused on his reason for being here. Beside him, Valkyrie watches as two men, the graveyard's keepers, lower the warlord's casket into the ground. "Thank's for coming." Valkyrie tells him quietly. "Didn't even know there was a cemetery out here." Kain admits. "It's our cemetery." Valkyrie tells him. "Outer Heaven's cemetery. For most of us, Mars Base was the only home we ever had."

Kain nods, watching as the workers, done lowering the casket, grab a pair of shovels and start filling the hole. "They put Bob here too?" Kain asks. "Yeah." Valkyrie nods. "He's two rows over and three down next to his wife."

"Bob was married?" Kain asks, looking over at Valkyrie in surprise. "She died a little over ten years ago. Her health was never really that great, but she was a nice person. She died from a disease, I don't remember what it was. Bob took her passing really hard."

"Huh." Kain utters. "No wonder he was always so grouchy." The two fall silent for several minutes, watching the workers as they continue filling the hole. "So what now?" Kain finally asks. "I mean, for the rest, not this." Valkyrie sighs. "We can't do anything official until UEG recognizes me as the new warlord of Outer Heaven. Unofficially, we're going into Intel mode. We need to get as much information as we can on Alliance's activities, and this Order of The Dawn."

"Diana told you about that I guess?" Valkyrie nods. "Regardless of what UEG might say, if we can find an opening to hit Alliance from, we're going to take it. I'm worried about that mobile base though."

"You and me both." Kain grimaces. "I'm not going to be able to take that thing out, not without some serious hardware." Valkyrie shakes her head. "There are some things even you can't take out Kain."

"Maybe according to you." Kain mutters. "_And me._" DK adds, surprising him. "No one ask you ya artificial idiot." Kain growls. Valkyrie gives him a questioning look, and Kain taps the side of his head in response. "_Well sorry!_" DK says testily. Sighing, Kain shakes his head. "She's worried about her body." Valkyrie tells him as though she had heard the brief exchange. "You mean my AC." Kain corrects. "Same thing." Valkyrie points out. "Yeah, I guess."

By now, the workers are done filling the hole. Nodding towards Valkyrie, the two men take their leave. Once they are gone, Valkyrie goes to stand before the grave. "Shouldn't we have flowers or something?" Kain asks. "Dad said he'd come back and kill anyone who tried to put flowers on his grave. Said they should give them to mom instead." Valkyrie looks down at the grave and shakes her head sadly. "This changes everything doesn't it?"

"It's already started." Kain grunts. "All we got to do now is keep moving forward, and make sure we're the last ones standing. If you need a minute alone. . ."

"I'm fine." Valkyrie assures him. "I'll come back here, once this is all done. Let's head back." Nodding, Kain waits for Valkyrie to start moving, then follows her out of the graveyard. At the entrance, Kain stops to take one last look at the cemetery. "Something wrong?" Valkyrie asks him, sensing his slight change in mood. "Something just occurred to me." Kain admits. "But I'll look into it later."

"Spill it." Valkyrie orders. Sighing, Kain shrugs. "Whatever happened to Deakon's body?" Hearing the question, Valkyrie smirks. "That's it?"

"Hey, the last time I tried to talk to you about the good old days, you almost took my head off."

"Sorry." She apologizes. "But to answer your question, while you were still in recovery, I had Deakon's remains, and his AC, taken to Baylore and melted down."

"The whole thing?" Kain asks, arching an eyebrow. "Yes." Valkyrie replies. "Melted it all down, then sold the slag for scrap."

"That's kind of cold." Kain admits. "Deakon made his choice." Valkyrie replies simply. "He betrayed us, and he paid for it, end of story." Kain shrugs. "Guess that's one way to stick it to your dead ex."

*********

Entering his room, Kain is surprised to see Megan sitting at the table. "I, was not sure if you had eaten already." She says. "Grabbed something to eat at the wake." Kain replies. Megan nods. Going to the table, Kain takes a seat opposite of her. "You aren't wearing your ring." She remarks, looking at his hand. "You know I can't wear it under my flight suit." Kain replies, reaching into his shirt and pulling out a chain. On the chain, is a gold wedding band. "Always keep it with me though."

"I am sorry." She apologizes. "You were right: I have been so obsessed with trying to keep up with you in the field, I had forgotten why we married in the first place. I wanted to be by your side so badly, that I was willing to risk anything. And in the end, I had paid a very high price for my foolishness."

"Yup." Kain agrees. "Question is, where do things go from here?"

"I will, remember my place in the field. More importantly, I will not allow anyone else to die because of my foolishness. I am a member of Outer Heaven, I think I need to start acting like it."

"Yeah, you should." Kain agrees. "I suppose." Megan says hesitantly. "The only question remains, is us." Hearing this, Kain sighs. "Yeah, I was pissed at you, but I think now that the warlord's under, and that I've had a chance to cool off, well, let's just say you're not out of the woods yet. You can probably chalk this up to a rough patch. But if I were you, I'd be worrying about Val." Megan nods. "Yes, she made that quite clear to me. In truth, I did not think she would be so lenient."

"If she wasn't the new warlord." Kain snorts. "We'd probably be scrapping you off the floor or something. But yeah, I was a little surprised at that." Kain yawns tiredly. "Anyways, I'm calling it a night." Getting up, he starts to walk to the bed room, but Megan stops him. "Wait." Getting up, she comes around the table, and embraces him, kissing him deeply. Kain returns the kiss, and the two break it after some minutes. "You remember the last time we had a rough patch?" She asks him, a little breathless. "That I do." Kain admits. "Perhaps, we could take a page from history then?" Megan suggests. "That could be a start in the right direction." Smiling, Megan steps back from him, breaking the embrace, and takes his hand. Smiling himself, Kain lets her lead him into the bedroom.

********

Groaning, Megan is awoken by the insistent beeping of her personal comm. unit. Grumbling, she pulls the pillow over her head, but it is not enough to block out the beeps. "Kain!" Megan mumbles sleepily as she pulls her head out from under her pillow. Kain responds with a snore, the sure sign that he is dead to the world. Sighing, Megan pulls the sheet up to cover her nudity, then reaches over to pick up her comm. unit from off the nightstand. "Could this have not waited until morning?" She asks testily when she answers.

"_Kain's ignoring me again._" DK pouts on the other end. "He's asleep." Megan growls. "_But I can't wake him up! Just, push him off the bed or something._"

"What is this about?" Megan sighs. "_Diana's got a lead on getting her mainframe back. She wants Kain down here ASAP._"

"Is something wrong with the mainframe?" Megan asks, her mind still fogged by sleep. "_Oh, right. You didn't hear about it yet. Just get Kain down here. You can come to._" DK cuts the connection, and Megan growls angrily as she drops back down onto the bed. "Was it important?" Kain asks, not opening his eyes. "If you were awake, why didn't you answer?" Megan asks. "Wasn't until you started talking. So what did the AI want?"

"Megan seems to think she has a way to get her mainframe back." Megan explains. "She wants you to come down to the lab."

"Great!" Kain exclaims, sitting up. "Maybe now I can get my damn AC back!"

"What are you talking about?" Megan asks, yawning as Kain starts to gather his discarded clothes. "It's a long story. You can go back to bed, or you can come and hear all about it." Rolling onto her stomach, Megan lies still for several seconds, then with a tired sigh, reluctantly gets out of bed. "This had better be important." She growls, reaching for the closest piece of clothing.

********

Half an hour later, Kaina nd Megan arrive at Diana's lab in the AC garage. "So, something, infected her systems?" Megan asks, summing up part of the story Kain had just finished telling her. "Didn't just infect it, the damn thing re-wrote the entire operating system apparently. She's been trying to get into it ever since."

"_It's about time you guys showed up!_" DK exclaims over the lab's speakers when they enter. Looking of from their work, Diana and Sumika nod at the two, but the third person in the room remains focused on his work. "Is that, Kai?" Megan asks. The young man absently waves in her general direction when he hears his name being spoken. "He has grown." Megan remarks. "Kids tend to do that." Kain chuckles. "I have not been a 'kid', in quite some time." Kai replies absently. In his early twenties, Kai's once short brown hair has grown to almost neck-length, the strands tied-back in a small tail at the back of his neck. His green eyes are intensely focused on the screen before him. Like Bren, Kai is wearing a three-piece suit, though the jacket is currently hanging off his chair, and his sleeves are rolled up past his elbows.

"He's kind of cute." Sumika admits jokingly. Behind her, Diana scowls briefly, a look that only Kain seems to notice. "So, how's the old man been treating you?" Kain asks Kai absently. "The overseer, I mean, father, has been keeping me quite busy of late. However, could you please not bother me right now? This is becoming very difficult."

"Did you find something?" Diana asks. "Your guess was correct." Kai says. "This is definitely Controller code. But it's using a configuration I have never seen before."

"Controller code?" Kain asks, tensing slightly as he looks To Sumika for answers. "With Kai's help, we were able to make some progress in figuring out who or what has taken over the mainframe."

"Is it The Controller?" Megan asks worriedly. "No." Sumika replies. "It's Controller code, not a Controller."

"What she means." Diana jumps in. "Is that the code used to create the attacker, is the same code that was used by the Controller of the Layered."

"So, it's not a Controller." Kain says slowly. "But it was made by a Controller?"

"Possible." Diana admits. "But at the moment, we can't say for certain. The coding could have easily been done by a person, or persons."

"It's like any other programming language." Kai says, leaning back in his chair to stretch. "Just one that only a select few knew how to manipulate. I've found the entry point Diana. And you were correct, it will accept biometric data."

"_Told you so._" DK says satisfactorily. "What kind of biometric data does it require?" Megan asks. "We're not sure." Diana admits. "But, I have a hunch that Kain's Human Plus factoring will be the key we need to gain access to this biometric point."

"Great." Kain says sarcastically. "So, what do you want to plug me into this time?"

"Nothing." Diana replies, her voice changing slightly. "Now that you are in my lab, the system can access the information node I implanted into you. You may want to sit down though. It is possible the process will be, disorienting." Kain snorts. "How can it possibly be any worse then some of the other shit you've put me through? Just do it." Diana opens her mouth to object, but Kai beats her to the punch. "Beginning upload now." He declares. As soon as the words leave his mouth, Kain is hit by a wave of nausea. "Oh shit!" He gasps before his legs give out from under him.

Falling to the ground, Megan manages to catch him at the last second, and help him sit down on the floor. Blinking, Kain tries to focus, but the world is spinning and twisting around in odd colors. Hands gently try to push him down. After a few seconds of resistance, Kain gives in, and lets the hands push him around. In the background, he can dimly hear buzzing sounds, but can't make out what they are.

"He's coming around." A voice says after awhile, the world starting to come back into focus. "What the hell was that?" He asks, his speech slightly slurring. "I wasn't expecting that." Diana admits. Taking a small penlight from her pocket, she checks Kain's pupils. "Well, you seem to be no worse for wear." She tells him. Giving his head a shake, Kain winces as a throbbing pain starts to build in the back of his head.

"You better have something for the damn headache you just gave me." Kain mutters, working his jaw when he feels the muscles start to tingle. "I got it." Sumika tells Diana. Nodding, Diana goes over to Kai's side while Megan helps Kain to his feet. "Way to go tough guy." Sumika congratulates him mockingly as she hands him a few white pills and a glass of water. Ignoring her, Kain takes the pills and water, sighing in relief when they start to work almost immediately.

"We're in." Diana says, clearly surprised, her voice snapping back to normal. "What is that?" Kai asks. Looking towards the screen, Kain sees strange, green-colored spidery script crawling across the screen. "You trying to give me another headache?" Kain asks. "What is that?" Sumika asks. "It's, a data Layer." Kai says slowly. "But, I have never seen anything like it before."

"_It looks kinda familiar._" DK says. "You've seen this before?" Diana asks. "_I don't know._" DK admits. "_But, I remember clearing this kind of data from my systems once. It was after you recovered my data after we got out of the Layered._" There is a short pause before she continues. "_Yeah, I remember now. It was definitely some residual data I picked up in the Layered. It may have picked it up while I was interfacing with mom._"

"But that does not explain what exactly it is." Kai says, frowning. "_What you are currently viewing is a fragment of my core operational code._" A neutral, synthesized voice says over the lab's speakers. "Who said that?" Kain demands. "_It wasn't me._" DK says quickly. "_I am the entity you have designated Attacker._" The voice says. "_Do you wish to change this designation?_"

"Not at this time." Diana says quickly. "You're responsible for the reformatting of my systems, and the systems within Mars Base?"

"_That is correct._" Attacker replies. "_Reformatting and upgrading of key systems connected to my insertion point was necessary in order to facilitate my full installation into this system. It was also designated as one of my primary operational objectives._"

"Where do you come from?" Sumika asks. "_I have no knowledge of my progenitor system._" Attacker replies. "_My operational status came active at time index 25320415._" Frowning, Diana thinks for several seconds before saying. "That was the day my mainframe was first infiltrated. So you were not the one who chose this location?"

"_Negative. That determination was made by my progenitor system._"

"What is your primary operational purpose?" Kai asks. "And do you have a system Identification code?" there is a short pause before Attacker replies. "_I have no data concerning a system identification code. My primary operational purpose is to reconstruct all key systems within my operational area, as well as execute several sub programs developed by my progenitor system. I am to ensure that all programs run to their completion and collect test data. Once test data has been confirmed, my core operational code is to self-terminate._"

"Someone mind explaining what he's talking about?" Kain asks. "In a minute." Diana tells him, then says. "Attacker, one of the AC repair bays has been locked. Are you responsible for this?"

"_Affirmative._" Attacker replies. "_Sub-program LR-3 is ninety-five percent completed. Once the program has completed executing, all restrictions on repair bay three-two will be released._"

"What is the nature of sub-program LR-3?" Diana asks. "_I do not have sufficient data to respond to that question._"

"Do you have any data concerning any of the sub-programs you are currently running?"

"_Negative. All sub-programs are classified data. My primary operational purpose is to ensure that all sub-programs run to their completion. In the event a sub-program cannot continue execution, I have been programmed to intervene and remove any obstacles that hinders the completion of execution._"

"I see." Diana says absently. "Still waiting for an explanation." Kain says impatiently. "What's the damn thing doing to my AC?"

"We don't know yet." Sumika tells him. "Pay attention."

"Attacker." Diana calls out. "Have any of the sub-programs left data on the system that we can view?"

"_Affirmative. One-hundred and fifteen terabytes of data have been designated for storage within this systems primary data storage pending completion of the necessary sub-programs._"

"Will you allow me access to my systems so that I can monitor the progress of the sub-program execution?" Diana asks. "Bare in mind that I have no intentions of interfering, I merely want to see what the sub-programs are doing." There is a long pause before Attacker speaks. "_Your request falls within acceptable parameters. What do you wish to access?_" Pushing Kai out of the chair, Diana takes his place and starts to furiously type in commands. As she types, various data windows start to appear on screen. "_W-What the hell?_" DK exclaims.

"Watch your mouth." Kain warns the AI. "_What did this thing do to my shell?_" DK exclaims. "What did it do?" Sumika asks. "Kai, use the sub terminal to bring up the data from the repair bay." Diana orders the young man. Nodding, Kai goes to another terminal and calls up the data. An internal schematic of AC Dark Knight appears on the screen before them. "Incredible." Kai breaths once he has a chance to look at it. "I never, how did they, incredible!"

"How about some details for those of us who aren't egg heads?" Kain asks. "Oh." Kain says, starting. "My apologies. One moment." Entering a few more commands, Kai brings up another internal schematic of AC Dark Knight. "The schematic on the left was based on Dark Knight's internal structure prior to your departure to the Panakir coast." Kai explains. "The one on the right, is AC Dark Knight's current internal structure." Looking at the two schematics, Kain can immediately see the differences. "Yeah, I can see they're different."

"It looks as though the entire energy distribution network has been changed." Megan remarks. "And, what are those black areas? The large center one should be the generator."

"_It destroyed my shell!_" DK declares angrily. "_When I get my hands on that thing's processor, I'm gonna knock it back down to a vacuum tube!_"

"Relax DK." Sumika tells the AI. "I think, this is a good thing. Hey, look at this." Sumika points to one of the blocks of text on the side of the schematic. "I don't recognize those alloys." Squinting, Sumika looks closely at the screen. "I don't even think I can pronounce that."

"Those are Project designations." Kai says. "I recognize some of the description. They are ceramic alloys that were developed within the Layered. I remember the first one in particular. It had become a common building material for the more advanced AC frames. It is light and very durable. But, manufacturing the alloy alone took a rather large facility and an even larger amount of resources."

"So this isn't something you can just get anywhere?" Sumika asks. "Even in the Layered, it was a rare substance." Kai replies. "Hey Diana." Kain calls out. "What's your take on all this?" When Diana does not respond, Kain goes over the red-head, and taps her on the shoulder. "Hey!" Kain calls out. "Quit making out with the computer and start talking!"

"I've been trying to figure out what is going." Diana replies testily. "Any news?" Sumika asks. "Attacker somehow managed to build a small army of my garage MT drones." Diana says. "Currently, they're swarming throughout the base making repairs and upgrades. What exactly those are, I don't know."

"What about my AC?" Kain asks impatiently. "I'm, not sure." Diana admits. Getting up, she goes over to join the others before the screen with the schematics on them. "The energy distribution network has been changed." Diana murmurs absently as she examines the new schematic. "It seems to be a highbred of the older power distribution node network, and something else. Core systems have been re-designed, armor plating and internal frame have been modified slightly, but seem to be composed of several new metals and alloys I'm not familiar with. I'm not sure about those voids though. They look almost like black-box systems of some sort."

"So what does it all mean?" Kain asks. "I am not sure." Diana admits. "But, some of it seems very familiar." Going to the terminal Kai was using, Diana brings up some data. "I knew it!" She says. "The energy distribution network: It is a highbred of Dark Knight's original systems, and the Energy Provision Systems from the diagrams DK brought back from Mars."

"_That's a NEXT system!_" The AI exclaims. "Yes, but this is far more advanced then what you had brought back." Diana agrees. "The two systems should have been completely incompatible, but somehow, someone found a way to combine the two. The large void in the core must be the generator. If I'm right, the amount of power that it can put out to the AC must be staggering!"

"Infinite flying?" Kain asks curiously. "Potentially, infinite Over Boost." Diana replies. "Wow." Sumika says, Kain whistling in agreement. "I'll need some time to go over the schematics." Diana says. "But it looks like Dark Knight has been converted into a true NEXT."

"Just not as big." Kain adds. "Yes." Diana agrees. "It's very strange. Right now though, I'm more concerned about what those sub-programs are doing to the base systems." Frowning, Diana goes to check another terminal. "I don't get it." Kain mutters. "Why go through all the trouble of upgrading Dark Knight? And who the hell's behind all this?"

"We may never know." Sumika grimaces. "I mean, whoever dropped that thing into the mainframe did a really good job at covering his tracks. Once Attacker began changing over the systems, there was no way of back tracing the original transmission."

"The briefing will be starting soon." Diana tells them as she approaches, datapad in hand. "Please make sure Valkyrie sees this before it starts." Diana hands the pad to Sumika. "Is it morning already?" She asks, looking at the pad. "Morning?" Kai exclaims. Checking his watch, he curses when he sees the time and quickly runs out of the lab. "Guessing he forgot to do something." Kain shrugs. "Didn't think we'd pull an all-nighter." Sumika yawns. "It's going to be an even longer day." Diana tells her. "According to the projections, all sub-programs should complete their executions by noon. Once we've regained control of the system, we're going to have to do multiple full diagnostics to see what exactly they've done."

"_Multiple?_" DK asks. "Eww." Sumika grimaces. "As long as I got my AC back." Kain mutters. "We've regained control of the repair bay." Diana tells him. "But until I have an idea as to what exactly's been done to Dark Knight, it's staying right where it is." This time, Kain grimaces. "Let's hope AT or the order doesn't make any moves in the meantime. But for the moment, I'm going to get some breakfast."

"Me too." Sumika adds. "I'm starving. You want anything Di?" Already working at one of the terminals, Diana does not respond. "Let's go." Sumika sighs. "She's in work mode now."

"You two have been getting pretty chummy lately." Kain remarks. "I'm the official babysitter when you're not around." Sumika sniffs. "She's getting better, but she still needs a keeper every once and awhile."

"Could not one of her robots keep her in check?" Megan asks. "Tried." Sumika sighs. "But she'd just override whatever I tell them to do. Creator beats admin. She'll be fine for a few hours though, and I did manage to get Thom to bring her food at regular intervals. So far, she hasn't blocked that at least."

"Probably because it saves her having to go get it herself." Kain points out. Hearing this, Sumika blinks a few times, then utters a string of obscenities under her breath.


	16. Chapter 14

Chapter 14 – Getting Up To Speed

Entering the conference room, Kain sees all the usual suspects are in attendance: Josuter, Tina, Sumika, Megan, Maya, and Gunner, as well as almost a dozen other faces Kain does not recognize. At the head of the room, Valkyrie is talking quietly with Bren, Kai off to the side looking haggard, and nursing a rather large cup of steaming coffee. Going around the table, Kain takes a seat beside Megan. "Where's the rookies?" Kain asks after looking around the table and not seeing them.

"Jouster has them running more training exercises." Megan replies quietly. "It appears that we will be going out sooner then expected." Kain grimaces when he hears her words. "Just what we don't need right now."

"Now that everyone's here." Valkyrie calls out, getting everyone's attention. "Let's get started. I'm sure by now you all know ambassador Bren from the UEG. First off, we'll start with the current situation. Tina." Valkyrie and Bren take their seats as Tina moves to the head of the table. Behind her, the screen lights up, and a map of the continent appear, several areas, including the Panakir coast, highlighted in blue. "In the week since the Panakir rout, Alliance has begun making broadcasts on all frequencies, proclaiming that their new weapon, the Spirit of Motherwill, will help them re-establish the old order, and put an end to the tyranny of the UEG."

"That's a load of crap!" Someone from the other side of the table calls out. "Pretty much." Tina agrees. "However, Alliance has also been putting out video feeds along with their propaganda, of Motherwill in action, as well as footage of the NEXT-type AC White Glint, and their new line of MTs, the Normals. So far, the Alliance's media blitz has been causing a lot of panic across the board. We've also received confirmation that at 0300 hours this morning, Spirit of Motherwill destroyed fort Hollic, the last UEG stronghold in the region." The news causes a stir of murmurs through the gathered group.

"What's UEG got to say about all this?" Kain asks. "A lot." Tina replies. "Currently, UEG military is going through a massive deployment of all its forces. We haven't received any confirmation yet, but it looks like the military brass are preparing a large scale assault on both Motherwill, and the remaining Alliance strongholds on the continent." The map behind Tina zooms in on the scissor forest, a large swath off woodland that had once lined the south-eastern portion of the continent. However, when the last Layered imploded, the southern edge of the crater collapsed, triggering a fault line that caused an earthquake that separated a large section of forest from the continent. Now, the forest is on a large strip island, several small mountains the only thing breaking through the green that covers the Island.

"UEG intelligence, and our own, have confirmed that Alliance has established a strong presence in Scissor forest. Sumika also confirmed large shipments of materials were sent to the facility over an eight-month period."

"Are they building another one of those things?" Gunner asks. "Doesn't look like it." Sumika replies. "The terrain is too rugged, even for something as big as that thing. Plus, they'd have no way to get it across the channel to the mainland. But they are building something over there, and you can bet it's not good."

"UEG seems to agree with that assessment." Tina agrees. "But since the deployment is still proceeding, they have yet to announce any attacks. However, we've received tentative reports that Outer Heaven will be taking part in the Scissor Forest attack." Hearing this, Kain grimaces. "Damn I hate that place. What about Motherwill? What's it doing right now?"

"Slowly moving." Tina replies, the map behind her zooming in on the Panakir coast. "At the moment, The Spirit of Motherwill is currently travelling westward. Most of the region is surrounded by small to medium-range mountainous terrain, making it nearly impossible for Motherwill to cross. However, there are several potential areas where Motherwill can cross and move south towards the central or western regions."

"Any idea where its headed next?" Someone asks. "Not really." Tina replies. "There are a number of cities and military targets that Motherwill could go after, including Nexus."

"Whoa." Sumika laughs. "I'd love to see them try that. Even if the Military doesn't defend Nexus, there's got to be a few hundred ACs in the city at any given time."

"A few hundred?" Megan asks, surprised. "More then half the pilots now a days are arena players only." Sumika explains. "Ever since UEG started taking over, the writing's been on the wall for Ravens, so a lot of older pilots and newer ones have been moving over to the arenas. Word is, a lot of them are going to have to retire their machines once this is all over."

"Either way." Valkyrie continues. "If Nexus does become a target, it shouldn't be our problem. Motherwill may be big, but she's slow. Reaching any of the passes where it can safely cross will take them almost a month. Nexus alone would be another three to five weeks after that."

"Even then." Tina points out. "All Motherwill has to do is get her target within range of her two main guns, and our estimates so far indicate that their effective range is at least a hundred miles, more then likely more if they aren't too worried about accuracy. For the time being though, The Spirit of Motherwill is not a factor in the current situation." Behind Tina, the screen changes, showing an image of White Glint. "Alliance forces have begun fielding new machines that UEG is designating as NEXT-types. These machines stand roughly (the height issue) taller then standard ACs, and sport firepower and armor vastly superior to standard models. They also have an active-shield based on something called Kojima Particle technology called Primal Armor."

"Where is Diana?" Valkyrie asks. Starting, Sumika looks down at the datapad she was carrying, and blushes. "Sorry." She apologizes, getting out of her seat. "Diana made a breakthrough with the mainframe issue. She asked me to give you this." Going around the table as she speaks, Diana hands the datapad to Valkyrie. "Sorry." Sumika apologizes again as she returns to her seat. After scanning through the pad's contents, Valkyrie hands it over to Tina. "According to Diana's notes." Tina begins as she reads the pad. "The NEXT-type units have several technological advancements over standard ACs. However, most of the data she has on the units comes from the data DK had brought back from Mars, so none of it is verified at this time, and can't be counted on as being accurate."

"However, the Kojima technology has been confirmed. The particles serve partially as a defensive mechanism in the form of the Primal armor, as well as a catalyst for power generation, and potentially for weapon systems. Kojima particles themselves are highly toxic to living matter, and prolonged exposure can result in death. Short term exposure brings about a variety of symptoms similar to radiation poisoning, as well as cellular degradation similar to, flesh eating viruses?" Tina frowns at that part. "In any event, Diana is working on measures to protect the cores against Kojima contamination. In general however, she advises that if it is necessary to engage a NEXT in combat, it is advised to stay at range and not to engage in close-quarters combat."

"That's it?" Gunner asks. "Diana made it clear that she still has no solid data on the NEXT-Types. What little data she does have focuses mostly on the NEXT designated as White Glint."

"Is it possible that this White Glint, and the other that was destroyed, were proto-types of some sort? Perhaps there are no other NEXTs." Tina shakes her head. "Diana's already discounted that idea. According to what she's seen so far, the performance of the NEXT-types and the lack of any unusual readings seems to indicate that the technology is established. These are not prototype units."

"Then we should be expecting more of them in the future." Valkyrie says. "Anything else?" Tina shakes her head, handing the pad back to Valkyrie. "At this time, Diana's main focus has been getting her mainframe operational again. I'm sure once that little problem has been resolved, she'll be able to come up with more." Kain snorts at Tina's mentioning of the 'little problem', but otherwise keeps his peace. "On the subject of the NEXT-Types, we have confirmed that they are not affiliated with the Alliance. Rather, they seem to have been fielded by another group. Ambassador."

Getting to his feet, Bren replaces Tina at the head of the table. "Thanks to the efforts of various members of the Mars Base personnel, we have confirmed that the organization known as The Order of The Dawn is responsible for fielding the NEXT-type ACs. UEG Intelligence Bureau has classified this organization as a Class-Four risk, and has been monitoring their activity for sometime. The Order itself suddenly came into existence roughly three years ago. The original organization was a charity who dispensed aid to those who had survived the aftermath of urban conflicts. Three months later, it became a company that deals in medical research. A month later, it took on the characteristics of a pre-attack small corporation."

"Sounds like they were having an identity crisis." Jouster says. "One of several reasons why the Intelligence Bureau flagged the Order." Bren continues. "These rapid changes went on for roughly a year, after which point, the Order's presence completely disappeared from all public systems it had been previously attached to. Our own investigations found no physical trace of the Order itself, just the digital footprints left behind from their works. Originally, we had thought that the order was merely some sort of program designed to gather data from a variety of fields. This hypothesis changed however, when several encrypted Alliance communications were intercepted."

"The communications themselves were for the most part inconsequential. They contained mostly requisition orders and transport schedules for supply convoys. However, each of the transmissions held references to the Order of The Dawn, and a person known only as the Matriarch. I now believe that after the Order disappeared from the networks, they made contact with the Alliance and joined with them."

"You never found any physical traces of the order itself?" Sumika asks, frowning. "None." Bren admits. "During its year of activity, the Order had purchased and rented a variety of properties, as well as equipment and supplies for its various facets, but nearly all of these purchases were later sold."

"Maybe it was some kind of test." Someone Kain does not recognize suggests. "To see how you would react to their presence."

"It sounds more like data collection of some kind." Tina speaks up. "The way they were jumping around, it's like they were looking for something."

"Or maybe they were testing security of different networks." Sumika suggests. "The way they were moving around, they must have come in contact with a bunch of companies. That would have given them a chance to see how good their security was."

"Unfortunately." Brean says, getting everyone's attention. "The Intelligence Bureau was never able to determine the reasoning behind their activities. The Order was quite skilled at covering their tracks, and there was simply not enough data with which to build any sort of plausible theory."

"There was no indication that the Order had military assets?" Valkyrie asks curiously. "No more then any of the other ventures they had dabbled in." Bren replies. Several quiet discussions begin around the table. Looking around, Kain sighs, and stretches tiredly. "What do you think this all means?" Megan asks him quietly. "Who knows?" Kain shrugs. "It's my job to blow shit up, not figure out the mysteries of the universe."

"Are you not the least bit curious?" Megan asks him. "After all, a group that does not seem to exist in reality, suddenly appears with technology more advanced, and dangerous then our own?"

"And the next time they suddenly appear, I'll blow them back to hell." Kain mutters. "I know there's you all have a lot of thinking to do." Valkyrie announces, getting their attention once more. "But before you get to that point, there are a few other issues we need to cover. First, there is-"

"A full base diagnostic!" Diana shouts as she comes rushing in, breathing hard. "What?" Valkyrie exclaims, others around the table voicing similar words. "I'm sorry." Diana apologizes. "But I just regained full control of the mainframe from Attacker. It didn't just change the code. We need to do a full base inspection and diagnostic immediately!"

"Slow down." Valkyrie tells her, getting to her feet. "What's going on Diana?"

"Attacker's sub-programs finally finished executing." Diana explains. "They didn't just re-program most of the base's systems right under our noses, they also build a large horde of disorder units." Diana's declaration pulls immediate reactions from everyone around the table. "Disorder units?" Kain curses. "What the hell?"

"Quiet!" Valkyrie shouts loudly, her voice booming. Instantly, everyone falls silent. "What kind of disorder units are these things?" Valkyrie asks. "They're a variation of the garage MTs I thought were being built." Diana continues. "I don't know what exactly they are, but they've been swarming all over the base and doing some kind of 'maintenance'. The few systems that I was able to check were heavily modified, and one was completely rebuilt."

"How is that possible?" Valkyrie asks. "That kind of work should have caused an interruption of some sort. Even if they had control of the system, there should have been power interruptions, water pressure drops, malfunctions, something!"

"I don't know." Diana admits. "But right now, the units have pulled back into a series of hives scattered over the base. They appear to be in a stand by mode of some sort, but its too early to tell. In the meantime, we need to figure out what they've been doing to our systems, especially the weapons." Hearing this, Valkyrie's eyes narrow. "Something you're not telling us Diana?"

"Nothing I can't confirm right now." Diana says. "But, after the sub-programs finished executing, they dumped a large volume of data into the mainframe. Some of that data came from the Scissor Forest. I haven't been able to go through all the relevant data yet, but they're building something. It's big, and it can fly." Valkyrie curses. "If that's true, we could be one of their first targets. Alright! We're on red alert people! I want every system, weapon, and piece of hardware on this base checked twice! Diana, have any of the AC's been affected yet?"

"Just Dark Knight." Diana replies. "But I think its online and ready to go. We're going to have to run some live tests."

"Alright. I want all the ACs moved out of the garage. No radio or network traffic between them and the base until we've cleared the systems."

"What about the MTs and armor?" Gunner asks. "The main garage isn't linked to the rest of the network directly yet." Diana assures him. "Except for a few access points, everything is done manually and by datapad transfer. It's possible the disorder units have added systems to the garage, but the MTs and armor don't have the necessary receivers installed. It should all be fine, but we should run full diagnostics on all the vehicles." Gunner nods. "Alright, I want updated from every section on the hour." Valkyrie tells them. "Dismissed!" Everyone quickly starts to scatter. Looking over at Diana, Kain starts to call out to her, when Diana herself looks at him. Before she can say anything though, Bren intercepts her, and the two exchange quiet, hurried words. After the exchange, Bren and Kai leave the room, and Diana motions at Kain to follow.

"I will be in the MT garage." Megan tells him. "I have some experience in MT diagnostics." Kain nods. "Alright. I'm gonna go see what Diana's got for me. Stay out of trouble." With that, Kain makes his way out of the conference room. Seeing no trace of Diana, Kain makes his way towards her lab in the AC garage.

********

"Incredible." Bren says quietly as he looks up at the data Kai is putting on the screen. "I had always wondered if it was possible, but I never thought it could actually be done." The two stand in Diana's lab, Kai at the terminal entering commands. "All access codes were accepted." Kai informs him. "There was a slight variance, as you predicted, but we now have access to the core programming." Bren nods. "So I was correct. This is a sub-core."

"Really?" Diana asks as she enters. "Indeed." Bren agrees, turning to face the young woman. "It is a rather simple one, but there is no mistake: It is a sub-core. No doubt, it was created specifically for your system, and the tasks it was to perform."

"But where did it come from?" Diana asks. Turning, Bren faces the screen. "Attacker. Are you present?" Bren calls out. "_Affirmative Overseer._" Attacker replies. "Do you have any information concerning your point of origin?"

"_Negative._" The sub-core replies. "_I do not have any data concerning my system of origin._"

"There may be another way to track where it came from." Kai suggests. "It appears that Attacker saved a large amount of the original system data prior to replacing it."

"Can you access it?" Diana asks. "I can. With the overseer's access codes, we now have full unrestricted access to the core programming. Apparently, whoever created this sub-core, didn't think to put any protections on the code other then the default ones."

"Protections which I have the ability to override." Bren adds. Nodding, Diana moves to Kai's side. "See if you can find the network traffic logs from the night that Attacker arrived." She tells him. Nodding, Kai starts typing away at the keys, and after almost a minute, a new window of information appears on the screen. "This is it." Kai says. Looking up at the screen, Diana frowns. "That's, weird." She says. "The original transmission came from a satellite in space."

"A satellite?" Bren asks. "I am aware of several that both UEG and Alliance had managed to launch in the last century, but this sort of data transmission would have been detected." Diana shakes her head. "No, it's not from one of those. The few satellites that have been launched since we came back to the surface are low tech for the most part. We're still a long way off from getting back into space cause of the fighting. The technology's out there, but no one's been able to put it together yet, and even if someone does, it'll be a few years before they can field anything viable."

Going to another terminal, Diana starts entering commands. "This satellite is a lot older. It should be, yeah, here it is." Diana works quietly for several minutes, her hands almost a blur as they traverse the keys. "Kai." Bren calls out. "Have you been able to find the sub-core's system clock?"

"I have." Kai nods. "The sub-core first came online after arriving within this system."

"I am aware of that." Bren tells him. "But there should be a creation time for the clock itself." Nodding, Kai goes back to his work. "Got it." Diana declares. "I've managed to access the transmitting satellite. It's an old one alright. According to the data, it's a relic from the Isaac city era. A corporation called Zio Matrix launched the satellite into space shortly after the second colonization of Mars began." Looking through the data, Diana frowns. "Someone's been using this satellite. It's been in sleep mode since the purge, but every five years to a decade, someone sends the satellite orders to scan the surface. But, if these logs are correct, it's been receiving scan orders for almost five hundred years."

"Are you certain?" Kai asks. "Of course I am!" Diana retorts. "I've got enough knowledge crammed into my head to rewrite that thing remotely if I had to. The logs haven't been tampered with."

"I have found the original creation time of the sub-core's system clock." Kai tells them. "This sub-core was also created roughly five-hundred years ago. I feel certain that if we were to match it to the data pulled from the satellite, the two will match, or at the very least, be quite close to each other." Rubbing his chin in thought, Bren ponders this new information for several seconds. "Could this possibly be a sub-system of some sort that was built outside of the Layered? I remember reports, some going as far back as several centuries, of data being received from unknown outside sources. These were later traced back to antiquated facilities and outposts, some dating back to great destruction itself."

"Is that possible?" Kai asks. "In truth, I am not certain." Bren admits. "The sub-cores would always deal with these particular incidents themselves, but I have always wondered."

"There's just one problem with that theory." Diana says quietly. "The transmissions, they weren't coming from Earth." The two men look at Diana in surprise. "Are you certain?" Bren asks. "I'm going to have to brush up on my astrology." Diana says. "But yeah, I'm sure. The dish alignment at the time of reception indicates that the transmissions came from somewhere other then Earth. I'll need to confirm it, but I think there's only one place in our solar system it could be coming from."

"Mars." Bren states. "Genesis planet of the disorder units, and The Controller himself to some extent. I suppose it was only a matter of time before we would be faced with mystery of the red planet."

"What mystery?" Diana asks. "You do not remember?" Bren asks curiously. "Doctor Killian always had a fascination with the planet." Hearing this, Diana grimaces. "I try to avoid those kinds of memories whenever I can. They can overwhelm me sometimes."

"I see." Bren says. "In any event, Doctor Killian has had a theory concerning the civilization that once inhabited Mars. Several theories in fact, though they were all quite, far-fetched in my opinion."

"I'll take a look at them later." Diana sighs. "Right now, I got enough to do without having to go chasing through that man's ghosts again."

"Who's ghosts?" Kain asks as he walks in, surprising her. "When did you get here?" Diana demands. "Just now." Kain replies, taking a step backwards in surprise from her shout. "Couple of guys from maintenance tried to press-gang me into rappelling down the side of the base to check the building structure or some shit like that. Almost had to knock them around a bit to get them off of me. Why, did I miss something?"

"No." Diana sighs. "Just, I just have a lot on my plate right now. Anyways, I've cleared Dark Knight for a shakedown run. DK's already inside checking things out." Kain breathes a sigh of relief. "For a second, I thought I was going to have to work on something around here. I'll call you once I'm inside." Diana nods absently as Kain takes his leave. "I am curious." Bren says out loud. "Why did you not tell him about our findings?"

"Because I've got a few theories of my own." Diana explains. "And, there's something else that I wanted to talk to you both about first. Something that was left out of all the reports."

"Which is?" Kai asks. "The possibility that there are still humans living on Mars." Both Bren and Kai look at Diana in shock. "Are you, certain?" Bren asks. "I'm not." Diana admits. "But Kain brought back some pretty convincing evidence from his time on Mars."

"It is, possible." Bren slowly admits. "But, I fail to see what your concern is over all this?"

"If there are humans still on Mars, then it is possible that there is a Controller Unit there watching over them." Kai says. "And if there is a Controller Unit present, you are concerned that Kain may have been. . ."

"Either way." Diana says. "There's a few things I want to cover before announcing this to the others. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, I don't know. But no, I don't think Kain was tampered with while he was on Mars. I would have found something like that already. I don't know what it is, but I get the feeling that there's something big on Mars, something that we might not want to find."


	17. Chapter 15

Chapter 15 - Test Drive

Stepping out into the AC garage, Kain pulls at his new flight suit. "You sure this is mine?" He asks again for the unknownth time. "_Yes!_" Diana replies testily, her voice coming out loud and clear in his head. "_So stop asking._" Grumbling, Kain continues to pull at the new flight suit, or armor. Like his old flight suit, the new one is skin tight and molded to his body. However, on top of it, is a second lair of thin interlocking alloy plates that cover his body. His helmet, held under his right arm, is also slightly bulkier then before, and though styled to look like it has a movable visor, appears to be all one solid piece.

"This is too damn weird." Kain grumbles. "_You have to wear it._" Diana sighs. "_The armored layer has a set of extra interface nodes that you need so you can pilot Dark Knight effectively. I don't know if it's necessary or not, but for now, you're stuck with it._"

"_On the plus side though._" DK adds, joining the conversation. "_That thing's fully sealed, and it looks like it can plug into the life support system._"

"We got life support?" Kain asks, surprised. "_It's so cool!_" DK says excitedly. "_We're fully sealed for space walks and combat, not just zero oxygen environments. I bet this new shell could even work underwater!_"

"_Something we will not be trying anytime soon._" Diana says pointedly. "_And you have got to check out this cockpit design!_" DK continues. Reaching Dark Knight's repair bay, Kain sees that it is open, the black AC looking mostly the same as before, though he notices several subtle changes to the design that few others would have picked up. "What's the weapon load out?" Kain asks, taking the lift up to the core. "_Same as when you came back from the coast mostly._" Diana tells him. "_KAWASARA in the right hand, Klink Hammer on the left shoulder, and the FOXFIRE homing laser launcher on the right. According to the schematic data downloaded into my system, whatever program was responsible for overhauling Dark Knight seems to have fixed the recoil issue on the Klink Hammer, mostly._"

"Mostly?" Kain asks, reaching the top. "_Let's just say that you're going to want to be on the ground when you fire it._" Diana tells him. "_At least until I can get more data on it. Everything else looks good so far, but the readings are really skewed. Nothing to worry about._" Diana adds. "B_ut we'll take it slow for starters._" Nodding, Kain walks to the core, the hatch opening as he approaches. Hoping in, he takes a minute to look around the cockpit as the core hatch closes. "The more things change." He says absently. "The more they stay the same."

"_Problem?_" Diana asks. "Layouts a little different." Kain says. "But nothing I can't handle. Alright DK, start it up." Putting on his helmet, Kain waits for the screens before him to light up, but instead starts when the entire view around him changes, the cockpit walls disappearing to show the area outside. "What the hell?" He exclaims. "_It's so cool!_" DK exclaims. "_It's a full 360 degree view!_" Looking around and over his shoulder, Kain sees an unobstructed view all around. Looking over the side of his chair, he is surprised to see a view of the ground by DK's legs. "How the hell did they pull that off?" Kain asks.

"_Multiple cameras take imaging data, compress it into a stream of some kind, and feed it right to your helmet._" DK explains. "_And check this out!_" As she finishes speaking, the main screen's HUD appears in his vision in a light red color. As Kain looks around again, the HUD stays centered in his vision. "Okay, that's starting to get a little weird."

"_Incredible._" Diana says. "_I was thinking about proto-typing a system like this, but, wow. I wonder what else was added to the AC?_" Focusing on the HUD, Kain reads through the data. "Looks like the tracer rockets are still in." He says. "And, I've got some kind of gun on the left arm."

"_There's nothing in the left hand._" Diana says after several seconds. "Something's there." Kain says. "Guess we'll have to give it a try later. We cleared to move out?"

"_Whenever you're ready._" Diana tells him. Taking the controls, Kain walks Dark Knight to the AC elevator. "How're we doing under the hood DK?" DK asks. "_It's freaky._" DK replies. "_I don't know how they wired this shell, but it's responding almost faster then I can think. The generator's really amped up too. Boosters, OB, and HEP shield are online. HEP shield isn't active yet, but I'm a little worried about the readings._"

"_Those should be fine._" Diana assures her. "_The HEP shield's been reconfigured to partial deflection. It's working like the NEXT-type AC's primal armor. Rather then doing a full block like before, it will deflect rounds and disperse energy fire. Of course, heavy fire will still be able to penetrate the shield, but it won't knock it out like before._" Reaching the elevator, Kain watches as it starts to rise up. "So, we might be taking more hits, but the shield will last longer?"

"_Anything that manages to punch through the shield will have its velocity or power greatly reduced. Think of it more like an extra layer of armor rather then just an actual shield._"

"_Maybe we should call it the HEPA now._" DK jokes. "Like hell you are." Kain mutters. "Any idea what we can expect?"

"_Plenty._" Diana replies. "_But for now, just head out to the drag, boosters only, stay on the ground._" Grumbling, Kain walks out of the AC elevator once it comes to a stop in the MT garage. Seeing Dark Knight moving forward, a small number of personnel working in the garage start to cheer. "What's their problem?" Kain mutters quietly. "_The hero has returned to the field._" Bren says on the same channel Diana is using, surprising him. "Whatever." Kain replies. Making it out of the garage, Kain brings his AC up to a run. "Alright, let's take this baby out for a test drive."

********

Monitoring Dark Knight from her lab, Diana watches nervously as Kain starts to put the AC through its paces. "Relax." Bren tells her. "It's hard to relax when I don't know what's under the hood." Diana mutters. "There are way too many black box systems in Dark Knight. And yes, I'm pretty sure the black boxes aren't going to hurt Kain or DK." Diana adds when Bren opens his mouth to speak. "But it still bugs the hell out of me."

"Fear of the unknown." Bren muses. "Or perhaps, just a small pin-prick to one's pride?" Diana gives the old man a dirty look that makes him chuckle. "Regardless, I suggest you pay attention to your charge." Checking the data coming in, Diana sees that Kain has taken to the air. "I said keep it on the ground Kain!" Diana exclaims. "_Yeah, yeah._" Kain replies. "_We're at the drag. Let's see what this thing can really do!_"

"Hold it right there Kain!" Diana shouts as he punches the OB. "We don't know what the-"

"Dark Knight just went out of radar range." Kai calls out, interrupting her. "What?" Surprised, Diana goes over to Kai's terminal. "How fast was he going?"

"He was approaching fourteen thousand miles per hour before we lost track of him." Speechless, Diana's jaw drops in shock.

********

"That, was great!" Kain shouts as Dark Knight comes to a stop, sliding across the ground. "How fast did we go? I missed it."

"_We were maxed out around fifteen-fifty._" DK replies. "_It's incredible! No increase in temperature, and the condenser barely went down! I bet we could get at least fifteen minutes of OB out of the generator before we'd have to stop! Oh, Diana's calling._" Seconds later, Diana's voice comes back onto the frequency. "_Get back to the drag Kain!_"

"Yes dear." Kain replies, punching the OB again.

********

Cursing, Diana looks at the readings and data coming in from Dark Knight. "_Hey, the left arm's got a laser rifle built in!_"

"_That's what it is?_" DK asks. "_Oh hey, you're right! It's even got a single and rapid fire setting!_"

"Take it easy you two!" Diana demands. "We don't know what kind of strain Dark Knight can handle right now!"

"_She can handle it._" Kain says dismissively. "_This old AC ain't failed me yet._" It's not your old AC, Diana thinks worriedly. "Sounds like things are going well." Valkyrie says dryly as she enters the lab. "Greetings warlord." Bren greets her. "They are going, well, certainly, Dark Knight's latest incarnation is much more powerful then I expected."

"It's more then any of us expected." Diana says. "Even using the baseline data from the NEXT-types, Dark Knight could be considered S-ranked if you use the old performance evaluation system."

"But?" Valkyrie asks, sensing her hesitation. "We barely know anything about the technology that was used to rebuild Dark Knight." Diana says. "And that, that, adrenaline junkie's got it open full throttle!"

"Well what were you expecting?" Valkyrie asks, chuckling. "This is Kain we're talking about." Now back at the Drag, Valkyrie watches as Kain puts the AC through a series of quickboosts, the signal fading in and out as the Dark Knight moves almost too fast for the system to keep up with. "I thought the ghosting issue was fixed?" Valkyrie asks, noting the signal fading. "It was." Diana replies absently. "But apparently, it's back. Will you two slow down!"

"_Relax._" Kain replies, coming to a stop. "_Whoa._"

"Problem?" Valkyrie asks. "_Few too many quickboosts._" Kain replies dismissively. "_The core shocks are set a little differently. Going to take a little getting used to, but so far, I like it._"

"Sit tight for a minute." Valkyrie orders him, then motions to Diana to cut the audio. "What are you really worried about?" Valkyrie asks once the comm. has been muted. "The amount of energy Dark Knight's putting out is equivalent to a small reactor." Diana says. "And I don't know how or why. I'm guessing that the design used to remake Dark Knight was based on the NEXT-Type ACs, but without the Kojima technology." Diana runs a hand through her hair worriedly. "The amount of energy being put out to compensate could literally run Mars Base under basic conditions."

"And you haven't been able to figure out what exactly is in Dark Knight?" Valkyrie asks. "The black box technology." Kai speaks up. "Is unlike anything we have seen before. It resembles similar systems that were used by the sub-cores, but it is far more advanced. Granted, we have not yet had a chance to properly examine any of Dark Knight's systems physically, so it might be possible to open some of the boxes."

"But that's not the point." Diana says. "Anything that generates that kind of energy output has to be volatile. If Dark Knight's generator breaches, it could cause a catastrophic failure, as in several blocks vaporized when it blows!" Valkyrie frowns. "That could be a problem." She admits. "But there must be some kind of safeguards to prevent that sort of thing. Attacker, or whoever wrote the program that rebuilt Dark Knight, should have figured that out."

"We simply do not know my dear." Bren says. "There are, other concerns as well. The new interface being used by Dark Knight is accessing parts of Kain's Human Plus factoring we did not even know existed." Valkyrie looks at Diana in surprise, and the redhead nods back worriedly. "How?" Valkyrie asks. Diana goes to the un-occupied terminal, and brings up a view of a human brain complete with spine on screen. "The sections in green represent the factoring we've known about." Diana explains, green lines and nodes appearing. "These started appearing almost to the second DK powered up Dark Knight." A series or red lines and three nodes appear inside the brain, connecting to the existing green network.

"Any idea what it is?" Valkyrie asks. "I believe they are data processing nodes of some sort." Bren says. "But that's impossible." Diana counters. "These nodes are inside the brain matter. There is no way they could have been implanted without dissecting Kain's brain."

"Regardless doctor." Bren counters. "However they were placed, they are nonetheless, data processing nodes."

"Which are what exactly?" Valkyrie asks. "Sub-processors used to augment existing brain function." Bren explains. "In the simplest terms, they allow the brain to process information at a much faster pace."

"They make you think faster, not smarter." Diana adds. "I've got about half a dozen of them in my head. But Kain's, the red ones anyways, aren't configured like they should be. Even if they are data processing nodes, which I doubt, I can't access them. They're-"

"Black boxed." Valkyrie finishes. "How did they get there?"

"They were either put there with the rest of his human plus factoring, or. . ." Diana lets the word trail off. "Or?" Valkyrie prompts her. "Or." Bren continues. "They were implanted after he left the Layered. Unfortunately, the only time when this could have occurred, was during the excursion to Mars."

"When Kain came back to Earth, he said it took him a little over a month." Diana explains. "According to DK, they didn't do the math right, so their trajectory was off. But, I checked the math. I found it in one of Dark Knight's backup systems while I was repairing it after the Layered imploded. The math was fine. They shouldn't have taken that long to get here."

"You don't know anything about Mars?" Valkyrie asks Bren. "Only that it was once colonized." Bren replies. "There was also some information indicating the presence of a Mars Controller Unit, however, we received no communication from space beyond the few satellites that remained operational. It is possible sub-core Omega found something of interest on the planet. Unfortunately, there is no way to know for certain without going to the planet itself."

"We're being setup." Valkyrie mutters. "But for what?"

"There's something else." Diana says. "I didn't have a chance to forward the information to you, but Attacker, the sub-core that infected my mainframe, we're pretty sure it came from Mars too."

"Perhaps Doctor Killian, the late doctor Killian's theories concerning the red planet were not so far-fetched."

"Don't know." Diana says when Valkyrie looks at her for clarification. "Trying to go through those memories is hard. Real hard." Sighing, Valkyrie shakes her head. "Alright. What about Mars Base?"

"Lots of upgrades so far." Diana says, calling up a schematic of the base. "You could almost say they rebuilt the base from the inside out in some areas. Its going to take at least five days to get all the data, but so far, we haven't found anything to be worried about."

"And the disorder units you mentioned?" Valkyrie asks. "Definitely disorder technology." Diana replies. "But harmless. The hives I mentioned earlier are just glorified storage spaces for the units. I've got full control of them through my mainframe, but they're just repair drones. You could almost, I don't know, call them Mars Base's white blood cells. That's the best description I can come up with right now. I'm still running scans and collecting data, but right now, they're harmless."

"I would like to point out." Bren speaks up. "We had similar systems within the layered. Storage 'hives' that housed small MTs units designed to conduct repair and maintenance in areas too hazardous for human workers to complete. They were mostly deployed in areas with high contamination levels; reactors, manufacturing waste disposal facilities and such. However, those systems pale in comparison to what is currently installed here."

"We need to figure out the how and the why." Valkyrie says. "How much of this does Kain know?"

"About the human plus and Dark Knight?" Diana asks. "Nothing yet. I've been finding this out as he's been shooting around the area like a-" Diana stops and looks up at the screen, sighing in relief when she sees that Dark Knight is still stationary. "Why can't I make him do that?"

"You're not the warlord around here yet." Valkyrie says dryly. "Keep me apprised of the situation. For better or worse, Kain is still our best weapon against the NEXT-types, and if Alliance really is building another of those massive MTs-"

"Arms Forts." Diana corrects her. "They're calling them Arms Forts."

"Whatever they are calling them." Valkyrie continues. "If they are building another one at the scissor forest facility, it's probably going to be able to fly or float. We need to be ready for it."

"We have a problem." Kai calls out. "Now what?" Diana demands. "It seems the Last Raven, is getting, impatient."

********

"Got any threes?" Kain asks. "_Go fish._" DK replies. Growling slightly under his breath, Kain watches as another card gets added to his hand on the screen before him. "_Got any, eights?_"

Cursing, Kain watches as two cards get taken from his hand, and added to the digital pile on DK's side of the screen. "You have got to be cheating." Kain accuses the AI. "_Am not!_"

"Then how do I always lose?" Kain asks. "_You, suck at go fish?_"

"Cough up that damn deuce!"

"_Go fish._" DK replies sweetly. "_And while you're at it, gimme an ace._"

"That's it!" Kain declares. "We are not playing this anymore. Period. You cheating artificial idiot!"

"_I am so not cheating!_" DK objects. "Then why do you always win?" Kain asks. "_Only ninety-nine point nine percent of the time._"

"Cut the crap smart ass." Kain growls, sitting back in his seat. "_I am not cheating! All I do is calculate the odds based on cards drawn and-_"

"See!" Kain exclaims. "Cheating!"

"_That is not cheating!"_

"Close enough!" Checking the time, Kain sighs. "You have got to learn some new games. And what the hell is taking them so long anyways? You sure you haven't heard back from base yet? We've been sitting here for almost half an hour."

"_They're comm. is active._" DK replies. "_But the audio's on mute._"

"Can't you un-mute it?" Kain asks. "_She can try._" Diana replies, surprising him. "About damn time!" Kain exclaims. "You done chewing your nails yet?"

"_We were picking up some weird feedback from some of your Human Plus implants._" Diana explains. "Anything I need to be worried about?" Kain asks, frowning. "_No._" Diana replies. "_It looks like it was just some sensory input spillage, but the problem seems to be correcting itself._" Hearing a slight waver in her voice, Kain can tell that she is hiding something. "So, do we get to do something now?" He asks. "_Yes._" Valkyrie replies. "_Jouster and Amazon have the three rookies out in the canyon. Link up with them and we'll do some live fire tests._"

"You want me to shoot at the rookies?" Kain asks, surprised. "_No, I want them to shoot at you. Diana wants some useful combat data, and since the rookies could use the target practice._"

"_I get the target painted onto my core._" DK says sourly. "Relax." Kain tells her. "You make it sound like they're going to hit us. Alright, be there in, well, won't take long, that's for sure." Grinning beneath his helmet, Kain punches the OB.


	18. Chapter 16

Chapter 16 – Training Days, Redux

Sitting in Flashknight's core, Jouster watches as the three rookie pilots and Megan face off in the large rocky canyon near Mars Base that they use as a makeshift arena. Currently, Megan and Jessica, callsign Bomber, are facing off against Saru, callsign Raiden, and Jerky, call sign Jerky. "_Watch your flanks!_" Megan warns her partner as Jerky tries to move behind her. A medium hover-legged Ac, Jerky's Wave Rider is equipped with a sniper rifle and machine gun, the back-mounted sluggun and vertical missiles giving the beach bum a good mix of short and long range weaponry, unlike Jessica's reverse-jointed HeavyRain, which is equipped purely with missiles.

Seeing him coming, Jessica boosts away from Jerky, firing several salvos from her missile arms. Though all the ACs present on the field are fully armed, the ACs are firing on a digital plane, an advanced tactical simulation program calculating the firing trajectories, hits, and damage taken by the various ACs, then taking the damage values and modifying the AC's performance to simulate the effects of the damage taken. "Beats the simulator any day of the week." Jouster says, stretching in the cramped confines of his core.

Down below, Megan and Saru continue facing off. Saru's Blitz, a medium bipedal AC leaning towards the heavy side, is heavily armored, and armed with a variety of close range weapons, including rockets, machinegun, and shotgun. Accustomed to close quarters fighting, Saru quickly manages to corner Megan. Boosting to the side, Megan tries to get around him, but Saru follows her every move, his shoulder-mounted ANOKU turning boosters giving him the edge he needs to keep up with the faster lightweight AC.

"Looks like you're going to get it this time Amazon." Jouster chuckles. "_Hardly._" Megan replies, Choirriot taking to the air. Seeing this, Saru activates his rockets and fires several at Megan, hitting her twice as she boosts back, her GREYON3 laser cannon swinging down into position. Seeing this, Saru boosts forward towards Megan, his core's EOs popping up over head. "_Too late._" Megan says, the laser cannon firing. Saru tries to dodge, but is unable to, the purple beam hitting his AC's left arm. Following the shot with several round from her ROC4, Megan breaks the limb. "_Now!_" Megan shouts. Disengaging from Jerky, Jessica spins around, and fires salvoes of missiles at Saru. Surprised, Saru tries to dodge, but Megan fires her GREYON3 again, taking out his legs and rendering him nearly immobile.

"Oh!" Jouster utters, wincing as the damage totals come in. "That's one AC punched. Alright, stand down."

"_Dude!_" Jerky exclaims. "_You got wasted!_"

"_Shut up._" Saru retorts. "Alright." Jouster says. "That's enough. Anyone want to tell me why the girls kicked boy butts?"

"_I under-estimated my opponent._" Saru begins. "_I assumed my heavier AC could stand up to her assaults, not realizing that she was weakening my defenses for a massive attack._"

"You two weren't working together either." Jouster points out. "_Not true boss man._" Jerky objects. "_It was my job to keep Jess from getting any missiles off, since neither of us like, you know, don't have any decent AMS. But, I guess I coulda maybe put a few more shots in her._"

"And what about you Megan?" Jouster asks. "_I was not the one dictating battle strategy, remember?_" Megan replies. "_It was Bomber's strategy to have me weaken Blitz. In truth, we should have exchanged opponents when the opportunities presented themselves, so I could have put forward a better defense while Bomber bombarded our opponents at range._"

"Right." Jouster agrees. "Don't try and focus on one opponent for too long, or you open yourself up to surprise attacks. If you're not fighting alone, don't act like it. Now, let's-" Jouster is interrupted by his radar warning him of an fast incoming object. Before he has a chance to process the information though, a black and white streak goes shooting by his AC, startling him. "_Whoa!_" Jerky exclaims. "_What was that?_"

"_Contact AC!_" Jessica exclaims. "_Is it a NEXT-type? Are we under attack?_"

"_Stand down._" Megan tells them. Checking his own sensors, Jouster snorts when he sees who it is. "Still showing off Kain?"

"_I gotta be me._" Kain chuckles. "_And hell, when you got this kind of speed, it's a crime not to use it._"

"_We almost hit sixteen-hundred that time!_" DK adds. "_I bet with a little more tweaking, I can-_"

"_Try it, and I'll frag your processes so hard it'll take you a week to get sorted out!_" Diana warns the AI. "Well now, this is turning into a regular party." Jouster chuckles. "All we're missing now, is Tina and the Warlord."

"_Just Tina._" Valkyrie says dryly. "_How's the exercises going?_"

"See for yourself." Jouster says, uploading the data from the earlier exercises. "This batch is pretty good so far. We'll just have to see what happens when things get shifted into overdrive."

"_Four on one live fire._" Valkyrie instructs them. "_Whoa! That's gnarly dude._" Jerky says. "_I mean, ma'am, er, sir. Uh, who's the one going to be?_"

"_Me._" Kain says as he lands in the canyon. "_This exercise is two-fold: One, it'll give us an idea of how well the rookies can work as a team, and two, we'll see if Kain is still all that he thinks he is._"

"Oh really?" Jouster asks. "In that case, I think I might just join in."

"_Negative._" Valkyrie tells him. "_The canyon's going to be crowded with six ACs, and I want you to record the combat data._" Jouster sighs. "Always in the reserves. Alright, form up: Kain take the west, everyone else east."

********

Grinning, Kain watches the other four ACs, waiting for the signal to start. "_I've disabled the Klink Hammer and Tracer Rockets._" Diana tells him. "_This is a training exercise, so try not to take too much damage._"

"_Oh please!_" DK exclaims. "_We're gonna smoke them!_"

"_Also._" Diana continues. "_I've noticed a significant increase in energy weapon capacitors. Take it easy out there, please._"

"Relax." Kain tells her. "We'll be fine."

"_Get it started._" Jouster tells them. Immediately, Saru and Megan boost forward, Jessica boosting to his left and acquiring a target lock. Boosting forward, Kain takes to the air, then quickboosts over Saru and Megan as they try to shoot at him. Hitting the ground, Kain turns to face Jessica, then quickboosts to the right. Unfortunately, the boost sends him crashing into the canyon wall, the HEP shield fluctuating as it tries to push away the solid rock. "Damn." Kain grunts, quickboosting away from the canyon wall, avoiding a round from Jerky's sluggun. "Got a longer range then I'm used to. I thought you were going to regulate that?"

"_I'm working on it!_" DK replies. Grunting, Kain boosts to the right, avoiding fire from Megan's NIX. Taking to the air once more, Kain does a series of three zig-zagging quick boosts to avoid missiles from Jessica and Jerky, then boosts backwards to backwards to put some distance between himself as Saru as the bipedal AC tries to close the gap between them. Undaunted, Saru fires his machinegun and shoulder-mounted rockets at Kain. Boosting aside to avoid the rounds, Kain quickboosts forward to avoid a shot from Megan's GREYON3. "Weird." Kain says absently, his AMS taking out several of Jessica's missiles. "Is it me, or are they, slow?"

"_They're reaction times are pretty good._" DK observes after several seconds. Unconvinced, Kain boosts into the air, and flies left then right to avoid more of Jerky's missiles, then quickboosts forward to avoid rounds from his sniper rifle. Behind him, Megan takes to the air and fires her KINNARA at him, a hail of micro missiles giving chase. Turning in midair, Kain cuts his boosts and starts to fall backwards. "Definitely slow." Kain says absently, watching, and waiting, for the missiles to get close. As they are about to hit him, Kain quickboosts right, and hits the ground sliding. Raising his KAWASARA, Kain fires once at Saru. Hitting the AC in the core, Kain is surprised when Saru cries out in shock and pain. "_AP down sixty percent!_" Diana calls out frantically. "_All units hold fire! I repeat, all units hold fire!_"

********

"What happened?" Valkyrie demands. "It's the energy output." Diana says, working her terminal furiously. "It, it's incredible! The KAWASARA's energy output has got to be ten times more powerful then the original."

"_Raiden report!_" Jouster calls out. "_Here._" Saru replies. "_Just, rattled. AP down to thirty-nine percent, my core has been compromised._" Diana breathes a sigh of relief. "Alright." Valkyrie says, equally relieved. "Head back to base for repairs. Jouster, you can take his place in the field until repairs on Blitz are complete. Kain, you're on recording duty."

"_Roger._" Kain replies. "I knew we were going too fast!" Diana exclaims, muting the mic. "Calm down." Valkyrie tells her. "I've barely had enough time to get a rough idea of what they did to Dark Knight!" She continues. "What if it had-"

"Calm down!" Valkyrie shouts at the redhead, making her jump. "It's true we don't know what exactly was done to Dark Knight." Valkyrie says. "But I would like to think that if Attacker was going to hurt us, it would have done it by now."

"That is a valid point." Bren adds. "Though its methods were rather underhanded, everything seems to indicate that Attacker has been sent to aid you, though why is as yet a mystery."

"Just because it looks safe, doesn't mean it is." Diana says. "True." Bren agrees. "However, you are becoming far too animated my dear, or perhaps, the late doctor Killian is."

"What do you mean?" Valkyrie asks. "He means." Diana says. "That this might be dredging up some part of Andel's memories."

"Is that possible?" Valkyrie asks. "I don't know." Diana admits. "Ever since we found out Attacker might be from Mars, I've been, on edge. I don't know why. I just get a really bad feeling every time I think about it."

"Perhaps it is time for you to delve into your extended past." Bren says quietly. "Yeah." Diana reluctantly admits. "And when I find a way to do that without going crazy or getting my personality destroyed, I'll let you know."

********

"You're slacking old man!" Kain calls out as Jerky literally strafes circles around Jouster. Boosting backwards, Jouster tries to get away from Jerky, but the beach bum follows closely behind him. Checking the combat data, Kain sees that Jouster is already down to fifty percent AP. "This could be over-" Kain starts to say when several explosions rock Wave Rider. "What was that?"

"_Floating mines._" DK replies. "_Jouster was dropping them while he backed up. Way to go old man!_"

"_Stop calling me old man!_" Jouster tells them. His dual chain guns dropping down, Jouster proceeds to pummel Jerky with a hail of virtual slugs. Caught by surprise, Jerky Quickly backpedals, Jouster falling close. Bringing his left arm up to slash with his MOONLIGHT, Jouster is force to abort his attack at the last second when Megan comes swooping in, guns blazing. "_Pay Attention Jerky!_" Megan admonishes the other pilot. "_You should follow your own advice!_" Jessica retorts, firing a four missiles from her right back launcher. Activating her OB, Megan spins around before it fires, and sends herself flying towards Jessica.

Shooting past the surprised pilot and her missiles, Megan cuts her OB, and spins around, her GREYON3 lowering. Jessica also tries to turn to face Megan, but her Heavyrain is too slow compared to the lighter Choirriot, who completes her turn and fires her GREYON3. "Nice shot." Kain says. "The rookies have got some moves, they just need a little more experience." Jessica meanwhile, retaliates with a hail of missiles from her weapon arms and right shoulder launcher. Boosting forward, Megan starts to evade the missiles, when Jouster swoops in, firing his linear rifle. Caught by surprise, Megan tries to backpedal, but loses track of the missiles, and gets hit by several of the projectiles.

"_Looks like your girlfriend's starting to slip._" DK laughs. "She's my wife you artificial idiot." Kain retorts. "_And I am far from slipping._" Megan adds. Spinning around, she boosts forward, and fires her GREYON3 at Jouster nearly point blank, then boosts backwards, firing her KINARA at Jessica as soon as it locks on. "_Individual hits are pointless before the sum of the whole._" Megan explains, taking to the air. Avoiding most of the missiles, Jessica starts to take aim at Megan, when Jerky comes up behind her, unloading with his lefthand FINGER machinegun, the rectangular, five-barrelled gun pelting Megan with a hailstorm of rounds.

"_Jerky!_" Jessica shouts, boosting away from him. "_Like, I'm just doing my job Jess._" Jerky says as he gives chase. "Kid's learning." Kain chuckles, watching the damage pile up. Megan meanwhile, focuses her attention on Jouster, and starts to fire at him, but suddenly turns towards Jessica as she boosts backwards, firing her KINARA again. Caught between the two ACs, Jessica is helpless as she is quickly taken out, her virtual AP deleted. "And that's game!" Kain calls out. "_Damnit!_" Jessica curses.

"_That was a gnarly move with the floating mines man._" Jerky says as the four regroup. "_Got to admit._" Jouster says. "_This batch has been a real turn around. Had to dig up some of my old tricks to keep up._" Jouster pauses for several moments before continuing. "_Bomber, you need to watch your six more. That's been your biggest killer today._"

"_I'm sorry sir._" Jessica apologizes. "_I'm not used to frontline combat._"

"_I know, I know._" Jouster says. "_Nothing wrong with that. You've been doing a fine job blowing us up when you're at range, but you can't always count on your support to save you. You need to move girl._"

"What about turkey over there?" Kain asks. "_It's Jerky sir._" Jerky points out. "Course it is turkey." Kain snorts. "_Actually, he's the best of the three right now._" Jouster says. "_Real solid pilot. Could probably change some of the weapons around, but that's more a personal choice more then anything else._"

"_Righteous._" Jerky says. "_And Raiden?_" Valkyrie asks over the frequency, surprising them. "How long you been here?" Kain asks. "_Since Bomber got bombed._" Valkyrie replies, eliciting several chuckles from the others. "_Well, that's a tricky one._" Jouster admits. "_On the one side, he's an excellent close quarters pilot. Give the target room to move around though, and he starts to panic. He's more a team Raven then a solo one, but I think he can make the cut with a little training._"

"When are you sending the guy back?" Kain asks. "_I'm not._" Valkyrie replies. "_His AC was more damaged then Diana originally thought. Something about mechanics who can't find their wrench even if it's stuck up their-_"

"I get it." Kain cuts in. "_Either way, I'm calling it for today. The rookies are scheduled for patrol tomorrow._"

"Patrol?" Kain asks, surprised. "_We do patrol?_" Jessica asks, also surprised. "_It'll give you a chance to familiarize yourself with the local terrain._" Jouster tells her. "_For when we do full field combat._"

"_Cool man._" Jerky says. Shaking his head, Kain turns back towards base, and is about to start forward, when he notices him comm. unit flashing. "_Valkyrie wants a private conference._" DK informs him. Nodding, Kain activates the comm.. "I figure this has something to do with the patrolling?"

"_UEG intel's been picking increased chatter between Scissor Forest and an Alliance naval fleet heading for the island._" Valkyrie explains once Megan and Jouster have joined the conference. "_They wouldn't give me details, but Intel says they're planning an attack of some sort. Bren is trying to get more details. What I need to know is, are they ready?_"

"_Ready for combat, yeah._" Jouster replies. "_Ready for the kind of shit storm we're expecting, I don't know. The kids aren't blooded, not by our standards anyways, but I think they'll pull through when the time comes._" There is a long pause before Valkyrie speaks again. "_Alright, let's hope your right Jouster._"

"_This could not have come at a worse time._" Megan says. "_Could Alliance be aware of our current situation with the Attacker program?_" There is a short pause before Valkyrie replies. "_Nothing indicates they do. As of an hour ago, we are combat ready; We just don't know how ready. Hopefully, the chatter is just a prelude to an attack weeks off. Regardless, Tina and Sumika are looking into it. Return to base. Kain, report to the infirmary when you get back. Diana wants some tests run._" Hearing this, Kain grimaces. "Again? The woman won't be satisfied until she turns me inside out."

"_I'd pay to see that._" DK jokes. "Of course you would." Kain says flatly.

********

Alone in her lab, Diana is going through the results of the test when Valkyrie enters. "Anything yet?" Valkyrie asks. Startled, Dianaa almost jumps to her feet. "What time is it?"

"One in the morning." Valkyrie replies. "Sumika was right: You do need a keeper sometimes."

"There's been a lot going on." Diana says, relaxing. "Sleep is starting to become a luxury. Bren was right about the nodes in Kain's brain. They are data processing nodes, but they're not configured in any way I've ever seen before. So far, they're only active when Kain is piloting Dark Knight, but I'm worried. The nodes are somehow altering his synapse firing pattern without frying his brain."

"What does that mean?" Valkyrie asks. "Basically, he's being put into an altered state of some kind. Doc Benson is looking at it too, and he's never seen anything like it before. Well, almost." Diana shakes her head. "He did some digging, and some of the data we collected from the scans, matches with old, and I mean really old, records from a case study done before we left the Layered."

"Case studies of what?" Valkyrie asks. "Psychic phenomenon." Diana replies. "I don't know what it means yet."

"Is it possible someone's trying to control Kain through these implants?" Diana shrugs helplessly. "I don't even really understand the basics of what's happening to his brain when those nodes activate. Andel might, but. . ." Valkyrie sighs. "I know this is hard for you Diana. Kain's told me a bit about what you went through, and I can understand that you're scared. But right now, it feels like we are running out of time. Sooner or later, you're going to have to deal with that Andel part of you."

"I know that!" Diana snaps. "It's just. . ." Valkyrie goes over to the other woman, and puts a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I know. All I'm saying is, the way things are going, you might want to do it now rather then later. I get the feeling that if you wait until later, you might not have a choice. Get some sleep."

"I will." Diana promises. Nodding, Valkyrie turns and leaves the room, Diana once more alone with her mainframe. Sighing, she rests her head on the terminal, just above the keyboard. "Attacker." She calls out after a bit. "_I am present._" The sub-core replies. "Access project file MBAK-5.7 and begin simulation tests five through nine using the data from my last brain scan." Diana pauses for a moment, then adds. "And Kain's last brain scans as well. If the results fall within expected parameters, begin construction."

"_Understood._"


	19. Chapter 17

Chapter 17 - Surprise

Sitting in her core, White Glint reads patiently through the data that scrolls across her screen. All around here, mechanics make final checks, pilots prepare to board their crafts, and Normals come to life, both those piloted by Ravens, and the AI units created through a union of Alliance and Order technology. "All is in readiness." She declares quietly. Turning on her comm. unit, White Glint contacts the bridge. "Status of the preliminary attack wave?"

"_On schedule._" The captain, a gruff old man from the Alliance echelon replies. Though White Glint had some misgivings of leaving command of the Sky Claw to a male not of the Order, the captain's skill and experience has alleviated her concerns over the last several days. "_Preparing to fire the bomb as we speak. Initial reports from long range scouts show no signs that we have been detected on long range radar._"

"And the Last Raven?" White Glint asks. "_Present at the base as of 1430 hours._" White Glint nods in satisfaction, her pulse quickening slightly at the though of once more clashing with the Earth Raven. "We move as plan. The attack begins at sunset. By dawn, Outer Heaven will be no more."

********

Stepping into the C&C, Kain, his shirt in his hand with a towel wrapped around his neck, yawns and stretches. "You stink." Valkyrie declares, not looking away from the screen she is watching. "Just got out of the gym." Kain counters. "And there is such a thing as a dress code up here." Valkyrie adds. Shrugging, Kain takes the towel off his neck, and throws it at Valkyrie. Getting hit in the back of the head, Valkyrie snatches the makeshift projectile, and spins around to face Kain as he puts a shirt on. "So what's the-" Kain starts to say, but gets interrupted when Valkyrie throws the towel back at him, hitting him in the face.

"So much for human perfected." She says, smirking slightly. "Like I'm going to waste perfectly good energy dodging a towel." Kain replies, pulling the towel off his face and placing it back around his neck. "Besides, it saves me the trouble of having to go get it. Anything new from Bren yet?"

"He's still here." Valkyrie says. "He wanted to keep going through the data Attacker left behind. As for UEG, nothing useful. Sumika is still waiting to hear back from her contacts." Frowning, Kain moves up to her side. "Feels like something's going to happen." Kain says. "Yeah." Valkyrie agrees. "I've been feeling it since this morning. It's that itch at the back of my neck." Out of reflex, Kain raises a hand up to scratch her neck, but a look from the new warlord of Outer Heaven dissuades him. "I thought maybe it was from all the stuff going on with Attacker, but then we saw this."

Valkyrie looks back up at the screen she had been watching before. On it is a radar map of the land around Outer Heaven going out almost two thousand miles. South of them, is a large cloud-like signature. "Localized static?" Kain asks, frowning. "We're not sure what it is." Valkyrie admits. "It appears three hours ago. We sent harpy out to do a long range sweep. He said it looked like a storm cloud of some kind."

"Been that kind of day." Kain points out. "Looks like its going to rain hard tonight."

"But storm clouds don't appear on sensors." Valkyrie points out. "And this one has been steadily moving in our direction." Kain frowns. "Think its Alliance?"

"Anything's possible." Valkyrie admits. "But other then this weird static on the long-range sensors, we aren't getting anything that indicates its nothing other then a weather phenomenon. Either way, I'm doubling the watch tonight."

"How are we doing with base defenses anyways?" Kain asks curiously. "Everything seems operational." Valkyrie admits. "But we haven't had a chance to test anything but a couple of the AMS systems. Tina assures me that we'll be up to-"

"Priority call coming in ma'am." One of the techs calls out. "It's from Sumika."

"She's not supposed to check in for another hour." Valkyrie says, frowning. "Where is it coming from?"

"Inbound STORK ma'am." The tech replies. "That's not good." Kain says as Valkyrie goes to the man's side. "Put her on." She orders him. The tech complies, and Sumika's helmeted face appears on the small screen before them. "_Big trouble! My contact in the Alliance just concerned a massive mobilization out of Scissor Forest! White Glint's leading the assault, and she's coming to Mars Base!_"

"How?" Valkyrie demands. "Nevermind, I think I know."

"_It's an arms fort!_" Sumika tells them. "_We're half an hour out, but the fort has-_" Sumika's image suddenly disintegrates into static, then partially re-appears. "What's going on?" Valkyrie demands. "We're experience some sort of ECM interference." The tech says as he works the various controls of his station. "_Re-at!_" Sumika's voice can be barely heard. "_Long . . . li-c. . .bilities! –gage. . . AMS! En. . . arget ram-ler an . . . S!_"

"It's no good." The tech tells her. "We've lost all long range communications."

"Report!" Valkyrie calls out. "Long Range radar is down!" Another tech calls out.

"Confirm chatter on Alliance frequencies coming from sector forty-three south!"

"ECM levels rising!"

"Receiving reports of some sort of high altitude detonation from the upper levels!"

"Mid-range radar is being overrun by ECM! Attempting to compensate!"

"Confirmed visual sightings on enemy ACs!"

"Where?" Valkyrie shouts, running over to the tech who had called out the AC sighting. "Sixty-seven south-east! Last known telemetry indicates they are coming towards us."

"Sixty-seven? Where are the rookies patrolling?" The tech pauses for several seconds as he looks for the answer. "Last report puts them in fifty south. I confirmed at least four enemy ACs and an unknown number of MTs before we lost radar ma'am."

"Put the base on full alert!" Valkyrie shouts. "All pilots to their vehicles! Bring the defense grid up to full power! I want AMS and Target Scramblers online! Get Harpy Flight into the air now! Kain, get-" Valkyrie stops when she realizes that Kain is no longer in the C&C. "Send the Rookie patrol's last known co-ordinates to Dark Knight, and someone get me in contact with the patrol now!"

********

"_This is sooooo boring!_" Jerky exclaims for what Saru guesses is the tenth time. "_Give it a rest Jerky._" Jessica growls, the tediousness of patrolling also starting to get to her. Sighing, Saru debates risking the warlord's wrath by returning to base, but decides against it. Cresting a hill, Saru cuts his boosters, and starts to walk down it as he lets his condenser recharge. "_Hey guys, maybe we should like, head back or something?_"

"And get chewed out by Jouster again?" Saru asks, remembering the last tongue lashing the three had received from their instructor. "No, I think not."

"_Sector fifty south clear._" Jessica reports. "_Hey guys, did anyone bring a sandwich?_" Jerky asks.

"_Not since the last time you asked._" Jessica replies. "_So quit asking!_" Checking his own radar, Saru frowns when he sees it break down into static. Reaching for the radar control, he stops short of touching it when his radar suddenly goes back to normal. How odd, he thinks to himself. "_Hey guys._" Jerky calls out. "_What?_" Jessica shouts. "_I'm getting some weird static on my radar. Is anyone else, like, seeing it?_"

"I did receive some static a few moments ago." Saru admits. "But it seems to have passed."

"_I'm still getting it dude. It's really weird._" Frowning, Saru starts to check his systems for signs of ECM interference, but Jessica beats him to it. "_Theirs low level ECM in the area._" She tells them. "_Your ECCM must be low Jerky._"

"Has anyone been watching the ECM readings?" Saru asks, tensing slightly. "_This wasn't there a few minutes ago._" Jessica replies. "Converge on my location." Saru orders them. "Jerky, see if you can contact Mars Base."

"_I've been trying man, but all I'm getting is static._" Trying his own comm. unit, Saru is also met by static when he tries the Mars Base frequency. "We're being jammed. Jessica, what are you seeing on radar?"

"_Nothing yet._" Jessica replies as Wave Rider comes towards him. "_I think I can cut through the ECM, give me a minute._"

"Negative Bomber. Link up with us first. This could be a surprise exercise, but I would rather not take the chance."

"_Understood._" Nodding, Saru checks his own systems, making sure that all his weapons are live and armed. Once done, he tries to once more reach Mars Base, but the ECCM built into his AC's head is not strong enough to pierce the electronic veil. "Jerky, to a quick jump, see if there is anything moving in the area."

"_Radar's clean dude._" Jerky points out. "Radar cannot be trusted." Saru counters. "_Guess not._" The beach bum admits before he boosts his AC into the air. Checking his own radar, Saru sees that the static is coming back more frequently, but manages to make out Jessica's AC as it approaches him. "_This is weird._" Jessica says. "_I'm not getting anything from Mars Base. Its like they've gone silent._"

"_Eh, guys._" Jerky calls out. "There is no reason for a communication blackout." Saru muses, ignoring the other man. "Not a willing one anyways."

"_Could we be under attack?_" Jessica asks. "_Guys._" Jerky says worriedly. "Possibly. I would like to think we would have been-"

"_Guys!_" Jerky shouts as he comes back down. "What is it?" Saru demands testily. "_Incoming!_" As soon as the word is shouted, Saru boosts backwards, a shell hitting the ground where he had been standing scant seconds before. "We're under attack?" Saru shouts, checking his radar as he looks around. "_Totally!_" Jerky replies. "_Contact!_" Jessica shouts. "_Three, no, four ACs coming towards us from the south east and moving fast!_"

"_Theirs five._" Jerky objects. "_I like, totally saw another one on the hill over there._"

"Stealth extensions." Saru spits. "_How very perceptive._" A new male voice says, surprising them. "_This is Crow to command. We've made contact with forward elements. Beginning attack._" Still looking for AC who had fired on them earlier, Saru spots a grey AC in the distance, the long barrel of a CR-WB78GL grenade launcher over its right shoulder, a rifle in the right hand, and an energy shield on the left hand. . "Zimmer!" Saru shouts angrily. "_Hello Raiden._" Zimmer greets him before firing his grenade launcher again. Boosting aside, Saru avoids the shot, and sees two more ACs come into view, both of them quad-leg machine. "_We're not in a good position here!_" Jessica shouts, firing several volleys of missiles at the newcomers. Boosting backwards, Saru is about to order them to fall back, when a shadow appears before him.

Looking up, Saru is too late in realizing that the shadow is being cast by another AC as it comes swooping down towards him, its six-barrelled machinegun spitting death at him. Boosting backwards more, Saru fire both his shotgun and machinegun at the new AC. "_Pathetic._" The pilot Crow says as the AC once more starts to climb, swerving to the left to avoid a spray of fire from Jerky's sluggun. "_I told you._" Zimmer chuckles. "_Raiden always was a lousy pilot._"

"Come say that to my face!" Saru shouts, starting to boost forward. "_We need to fall back Raiden!_" Jessica shouts at him over the frequency. "_Yes, run away._" Zimmer laughs, the two quad-legged ACs readying their weapons to fire. Cursing, Saru activates his EOs and starts to boost backwards. "Switch to frequency designation Combat-Three!" Saru shouts. Firing several more rounds at the airborne AC, Saru switches to his rockets, and fires a trio at the two quad-legged ACs.

"_We're in trouble!_" Jessica says once she completes the switch over. "_That's Sight Hawk!_"

"I've heard of him." Saru says. "Fall back to sector forty-three south. Jerky, did you only see the ACs?"

"_There's a bunch of MTs coming up behind them._" Jerky says. "_I saw the contacts on my radar._" Jessica agrees. "_But the ECM's making it hard to identify what's out there._"

Hearing his EO's fire, Saru looks forward in time to see one of the quad legs coming at him, laser blade stabbing. Cursing, he throws his AC to the left, the blade only grazing his core. "How nice to see you again widow." Saru spits, firing his shotgun. The black and red quad-legged AC boosts backwards, firing a hail of rounds from her own Pixie machinegun. "_Miss me hotshot?_" The pilot Widow asks over the general frequency. "Not yet." Saru growls, firing rockets from both his shoulder and inside pods. Taking the hits, Widow backs up and boosts aside so that the other quad-legged AC, armed with machinegun arms and a back-mounted CHIMERA quad laser cannon, has a clear shot at Saru.

"_Watch out!_" Jessica shouts at him, missiles hitting the second quad-leg AC in the side a second after. Boosting backwards, Saru continues firing both shotgun and rockets as the quad-leg fires his CHIMERA at him. Dodging at the last minute, Saru fires another pair of rockets at the AC, forcing it back. "_Jerky, scout our escape!_" Jessica shouts. "_Raiden, quit screwing and get your act together!_" Growling, Saru recalls his EOs, turns, and boosts away at full speed. Seeing this, Widow raises her machinegun to fire at his retreating back, but is forced to dodge more of Jessica's missiles.

"Thanks." Saru tells her. "Those two were Black Widow and Tarantula, close combat fighters similar to me. Bomber, have you managed to make contact with Mars Base yet?"

"_Negative, I'm still trying to cut through all the interference. Sight Hawk above you!_"

"_I got'em!_" Jerky shouts, rounds from his sniper rifle flying into the air. Taking the hits by surprise, Sight Hawk's aim is off, the rounds from his machine gun kicking up clouds of dirt beside Saru's AC. Cursing, Saru activates his turning boosters and switches to his missiles, firing at Sight Hawk as soon as they are locked on. Forced backwards to avoid the missiles, Saru takes the opportunity to activate his turn boosters again, and continue to make his escape. "_Black Widow on your six!_" Jessica warns him. "I see her!" Saru replies, watching his radar. "ECM interference seems to be decreasing, can you confirm?"

"_Negative, ECM is still strong. It's moving to the upper bands. Radar is clearing up, but communications are still down._" Nodding, Saru links up with Jessica as she fires more missiles from her weapon arms at the approaching Black Widow. "Still fighting Zimmer's battles I see." Saru says, switching to the general frequency. "_Poor Zimmer isn't allowed to kill you._" Black Widow says mockingly. "_He's got to wait for the Last Raven to show up!_" Widow laughs as she boosts into the air, a pair of large missile pods coming up over her shoulders. "_Pursuit missiles!_" Jessica shouts.

"Get to cover!" Saru shouts. Ahead of him, the terrain becomes rocky and hilly, Jerky already moving around a larger hill. "_Oh sh-_" Jerky manages to shout before an energy explosion creates a halo around the hill. "Jerky!" Saru calls out. As soon as the word leaves his lips, Jerky comes shooting out from behind the hill, guns blazing. "_Evade!_" Jessica shouts. Remembering the missiles, Saru curses, and serves to try and avoid the hail of missiles flying at him. Though he manages to avoid the full brunt of the attack, Saru grits his teeth as he watches his AC's AP drop more then a thousand points. "_Heavy tank behind that hill dudes!_" Jerky calls out. "_We're like, trapped!_"

"Bomber, engage the tank AC!" Saru calls out. "Jerky, try to keep the spiders from getting too close!"

"_We're out-gunned!_" Jessica shouts frantically as the large tank AC comes around the hill, bristling with power laser weapons, including a large black SPIRIT laser rifle in the right hand. Checking his radar, Saru sees the two Spiders, Sight Hawk, and Zimmer, approaching them. We're boxed in, Saru thinks frantically. "_This is Crow._" One of the AC pilots calls out over the general frequency. "_You're surrounded, out-gunned, and out-matched. Surrender now, and you can leave the field with your lives._"

"_We'll keep your ACs for spare parts though._" Black Widow taunts them. "_What do we do?_" Jessica asks. "Did you manage to contact Mars base?" Saru asks. "_No, but I got a burst of static that sounded like it could have been from base._" Saru grimaces. "I have no intention of surrendering. Whatever you chose, make it now."

"_No way dude._" Jerky says. "_I've heard about what the AT does to some of their prisoners man. Besides, I'm so not letting these dweebs get their greasy hands on my AC._"

"_I don't plan on going back to Alliance._" Jessica answers. "_Not willingly or otherwise._" Saru nods. "If we don't make it out of this, it was a pleasure." Switching to the general frequency, Saru addresses the enemy ACs. "Thank you for your kind offer, but I have a score to settle with Zimmer, and I intend to see him dead."

"_You never were too bright._" A deep, flat voice says, one Saru recognizes as belonging to Tarantula. "And you took too much pleasure in polishing other's boots with your own tongue." Saru retorts. "But who am I to point fingers?"

"_It'll be hard to point fingers when you're dead._" Crow says. "_Finish them off!_"

"_I couldn't agree more._" A new female voice says. "_What?_" Crow demands. "_New Contact!_" Jessica shouts. Before Saru has a chance to ask her for details, a series of explosions, both shell and energy based, hit the tank AC guarding their escape route, rocking it. "_Move rookies!_" The woman shouts. "_Dude!_" Jerky shouts. "_AC Albatross to the rescue!_"

"Albatross?" Saru says to himself in thought. "Maya Li! Fall back to Albatross' position!" Boosting past the tank AC, Saru hits it with a blast from his shotgun as he goes by, Jerky already ahead of him. "_Great timing Red Rose!_" Jessica says in relief. "_Not really._" Maya replies. "_Jouster sent me out here for a surprise training exercise, but now I see we have some real targets to kill._"

"_Red Rose._" Crow says. "_It's been awhile. So you really joined up with the Outer Heaven crew?_"

"_I joined no one but my husband._" Maya replies. "_And you will pay for this attack on his home and comrades._" Crow chuckles. "_Have it your way._"

Reaching Albatross, Saru sees that the heavy tank-legged AC is fully armed with an OGRE2 plasma rifle on the right arm, a KRSW laser rifle in the left, and the dual grenade launchers on her back. "_Status?_" Maya snaps. "_A little banged up, but still good to go._" Jessica replies. "_Same here._" Jerky adds. "More then ready to take the fight to the enemy." Saru finishes. "_Good, then let's fight!_"


	20. Chapter 18

Chapter 18 – The Coming Storm

Stepping out of the locker room, Valkyrie is met by controlled chaos as technicians and garage workers scramble to get the ACs ready for deployment. Looking alone the line of repair bays, Valkyrie frowns when she sees Maya's Albatross missing. "Where's Maya?" Valkyrie calls out into her personal comm. unit. "_Jouster sent her out about an hour ago to shadow and surprise the rookies._" Tina replies after a few seconds. "_I just found out about it myself. Kain's already on his way there. Short range radar is back online, but mid range is still cloudy. Long range is out of commission, but we managed to detect a large force of incoming armor and what look like MTs before it went out. They could be Normals._ _All weapon systems are online, but we still don't know how they're going to respond._"

"Just have to hope for the best." Valkyrie says. "I want all armor and MTs to their defensive positions. Kain will hold off the incoming forces as long as he can. Any sign of the Arms Fort yet?"

"_Nothing on radar, but there's something big and grey on the horizon._" Valkyrie nods. "This is it then. Let me know as soon as the rookies get back to base and Sumika touches down." Looking around, Valkyrie goes off in search of Diana.

Sitting in his command chair on the bridge of the Sky Claw, captain Arman Haldric watches as his well trained crew goes through the preparations for battle. On the screen before him, the advanced force consisting of unmanned Normals is approaching the group of enemy ACs surrounded by their own Alliance ACs. "This might be easier then they thought." The captain grunts. A middle-aged man, Arman has a rough brown beard and hair combed back under his captain's cap. A veteran of many years in the Alliance Navy, Arman had been sceptical at first when he was approached to take command of the massive flying fortress. After all, who would have though something this big could fly?

Almost a mile wide, the large, boomerang-shaped ship bristles with cannons, missile tubes, anti-air and anti-AC weaponry, and her six main guns: two sets of three massive cannons that extend out from under the ship almost like predatory talons waiting to strike. Inside, are numerous garages for armor, MTs, and ACs, four fully functional aircraft hangars, and enough facilities to house a full battalion of men, not to mention the crew of hundreds who maintain and fly the mobile fortress. Despite all this, Arman still has his misgivings. After all, what did they really know about this Order of the Dawn and their mysterious Matriarch, this bringer of advanced technology?

Pushing the thoughts aside, Arman focuses his attention on the task at hand. The Outer Heaven Warband, and in particular, the Last Raven, who had cost Arman much over the years. A thorn in his side, as well as many others, Arman in particular holds a grudge for the Last Raven for sinking his ship, the Ode of Fury, his home for more then two decades. Though the ship had been salvaged after the battle, the damage had forced her into dry dock, where she may very well spend the rest of her days. Thinking about his beloved ship, Arman feels a hint of fury sparking in him that he quickly quashes. No. Only young fools with something to prove let their emotions show in battle. And Captain Arman Haldric is far from young, nor does he have anything to prove anymore.

"What is the status on the main guns?" Arman demands. "Ready to fire sir." One of the bridge crew calls out. "But we cannot get a lock on the Base sir. The main building is emitting a jamming wave that is preventing us from targeting with any accuracy." The captain grunts in acknowledgement. "We were expecting this. The gunner's can't compensate?"

"Negative." The crewman replies. "Ground forces are being deployed with laser pointers, but it will take them time to get within range."

"No." Arman says. "Don't bother. No doubt, the old warlord planned for this as well. Backlash was no fool, and I doubt his daughter is either. Proceed with the attack as planned. Inform White Glint of this development."

"Sir!" Another crewman shouts out for his attention, this one sitting at one of the Sky Claw's several radar stations. "We have a fast moving ground unit moving towards our forward line! It looks like an AC, but it's-"

"It's the Last Raven." Arman says. "Inform all ground units of his arrival and continue moving forward. If the opportunity presents itself, all guns are to fire on the bastard."

********

Shooting across the ground, Kain watches as the scenery flies by. "Anything yet?" Kain asks. "_Stop asking!_" DK replies. "_I'm looking for them, but with all the ECM in the air, it's like trying to, oh wait, I found them! Confirmed signal from AC Albatross._"

"What the hell is Maya doing out here?" Kain asks. "Nevermind, just put her on the map." A way point appears on the map, and Kain cuts the OB long enough to turn the AC in that direction before hitting it again. "_I'm picking her up on the comm.. It looks like they've got five ACs and a lot of Normals on them. Trying to contact them now._" Nodding, Kain watches as the battle gets closer, and takes to the air when they near it. "_Enemy ACs sighthawk, Spider One, Spider Two, Titanic, and Yankee Zulu identified._" DK informs him. "_Rookies are in semi-rough shape, and we got a large force of almost fifty Normals and accompanying armor coming towards us._" Cutting the OB once he reaches the edge, Kain aims the KAWASARA at the first thing he can target, a bipedal AC flying in the air, Sighthawk.

"The cavalry has arrived!" Kain shouts as he fires. Seeing him coming, the AC avoids the shot from the KAWASARA, but not from Maya's KRSW. "_Kain!_" Maya calls out. "_Shit, it's the Last Raven!_" someone else calls out. "Damn right." Kain replies, landing. Activating the Klink Hammer, Kain takes aim at the tank-legged AC Titanic and fires, the explosion of the shell firing shaking the core. Unable to dodge, the Titanic takes the round hard, its right arm getting blown off and its head badly damaged. "Okay, who's next?"

Boosting backwards to avoid Black Widow's laser blade, Saru misses Kain's entrance, but can hear its effect on the general frequency. "_Hang on, I'm coming!_" Jerky calls out. Unsure who he is talking to, Saru focuses on the foe before him, pelting Black Widow's AC with shells from his shotgun. "_Still the nimble little brat eh?_" Black Widow hisses. Boosting backwards, she fires from her PIXIE machinegun, but Saru boosts to the right, his EOs coming up to fire. Checking his radar, he barely has time to avoid a quartet of energy rounds from Tarantula's CHIMERA.

"_Get up Raiden!_" Maya calls out on the outer Heaven frequency. Saru complies, boosting into the air and barely missing getting hit by a pair of grenade that explode against Black Widow's AC. Looking for a safe place to land, Saru grunts when a grenade hits him in the back, the force of the blow sending him forward. Cutting his boosters, Saru falls, a second grenade shooting through the air he had been in before. "_The Last Raven just took out Barnacle!_"

"_Raiden! Pursuit missiles!_" Jessica shouts at him. Boosting forward, Saru goes around a large hill, crouching his AC as the dozens of missiles go crashing into the other side of the hill. "_I have the bitch!_" Maya calls out, Black Widow shrieking furiously seconds after. "_Get away from her!_" Tarantula shouts. "_Where's he going?_" Jessica shouts. "_Zimmer, don't just sit there!_" Crow shouts. "_I have him in my sights._" Zimmer replies. Realizing who he is targeting, Saru boosts into the air, but takes the grenade to his legs. "Damn you!" Saru shouts. Finding Zimmer on his radar, Saru turns to face him. "Bomber, I need support against the designated target!"

"_Negative!_" Bomber replies. "_Sighthawk has me pinned!_"

"_I got it!_" Jerky calls out, several of his vertical missiles taking to the air. Saru meanwhile, avoids another round from Zimmer's grenade launcher. Boosting towards the other AC, Saru switches to his own missiles, and targets the bipedal AC. Firing as Zimmer moves to avoid Jerky's missiles, the other AC is unable to avoid his salvo, taking the four projectiles to the core. "_Traitor's like you don't deserve to live!_" Zimmer spits hatefully. Saru does not reply with words, but rather rockets from his inside launcher. Zimmer brings up his rifle to fire at Saru.

Firing both hand weapons, Saru unloads into Zimmer, forcing the AC back as he fires rifle rounds into his AC. Unfortunately, Blitz's armor is heavier then normal for an AC of its size, Zimmer's rifle rounds doing little damage. "_Raiden behind you!_" Jessica shouts. Checking his radar, Raiden curses when he sees one of the other ACs behind him. Boosting aside, he tries to evade, but Saru takes the hit from Tarantula's CHIMERA in the back hard. Taking the opportunity, Zimmer activates the LAMIA pulse cannon on his left shoulder. Taking several hits from the pulse weapon, Saru sees his AP go down to fifty percent. "_Hold on!_" Jessica calls out.

Boosting away from the enemy ACs, Saru turns his attention to Tarantula as the quad-leg opens up with its machinegun arms. Switcing to his shoulder rockets, Saru fires them at the other AC, forcing it back just as more of Jessica's missile's slam into it from behind. "_Damn!_" Tarantuala curses, boosting away from them, his AC starting to throw off sparks. Boosting backwards himself, Saru fires rockets as Zimmer as the other AC continues to pelt him with pulse rounds. "_Fall back!_" Crow calls out. "_Regroup at Alpha!_"

"_No!_" Black Widow shouts. "_We have them!_"

"_Orders from the NEXT._" Crow tells her. "_You want to disobey?_" Before him, Zimmer boosts into the air, and away from Saru. Switching to his missiles, Saru fires a salvo at the retreating AC. "Next time." Saru vows. "_Should we like, go after them?_" Jerky asks. "_Negative!_" Maya replies. "_They are going to link up with the rest of the ground force. Hopefully Kain will have thinned their numbers by now. Return to base, this battle is only just beginning._"

"_Consider them thinned._" Kain declares as he approaches. "_We got bigger problems though. I think that one force was deployed just to secure a staging ground._"

"_What makes you say that?_" Maya asks. "_The crap load of units that were dropping from the Arms fort._" DK replies. "_This is a full scale invasion!_"

"Then we must return to base immediately to re-arm." Saru says. "And brace ourselves for the coming storm."

"_Damn right._" Kain grunts. "_Let's move out!_"

********

Half an hour later, Kain is getting lowered to the ground on Dark Knight's left hand. "I want that new Gatling put on the left shoulders, and that snub-nosed grenade launcher on the right." He tells DK. "Put the Klink hammer and FOXFIRE down for our reloads."

"_What about the left hand?_" DK asks. "Tempted to use the PELLET." Kain admits. "But, I think we'll save that for later. See what we got and surprise me. Where's Val and Jouster?"

"In the garage." Sumika says as she comes up behind him. "But you weren't asking me were you?" Turning, Kain sees the Blonde-haired woman standing behind him, her flightsuit green with yellow slashes. "When did you get here?" Kain asks. "Ten minutes ago give or take." Sumike replies. "I'm just glad I didn't have to drop into a combat zone." Sumika leads Kain towards the garage. "How'd the rookies hold up out there?" Sumika asks curiously. "Don't know." Kain replies. "Stayed long enough to put a few shots into an enemy AC then I went forward to harass the rest of the forces. I took out about a quarter of them before heading back."

"You didn't take them all out?" Sumika asks. "Long range fire from the arms fort." Kain grunts. "Big shit. Didn't want to test how well the new and improved Dark Knight can handle damage just yet. More worried about those guns though. Six big ones, just like on Motherwill."

"Hopefully, the target scrambler will keep them from firing it." Sumika sighs. "Without a decent lock, they'll have to fire blind and risk hitting their own forces." The two reach the garage and find Valkyrie, Jouster, Diana, and Gunner standing around a hastily erected table. Taking one last look out at the sky, Kain sees the sun already starting to set. "This is going to be ugly." Jouster says as they approach. "No kidding." Kain agrees. "You sure they won't risk firing the big guns at us?"

"The target scrambler is putting out a high level ECM field around the base." Diana explains, her voice once more cold and emotionless. "Though it is ineffective at shorter ranges, at long range, it creates a void around the base, preventing target acquisition and most lower forms of radar and sensor scanning. The shells used by the arms fort's main guns require a minimum distance in order to arm themselves. Theoretically, Alliance will not be able to remove this failsafe without making the shells highly unstable."

"How unstable?" Valkyrie asks. "To the point where they could prematurely detonated when fired." Diana replies. "That is what the data I have collected indicates at this time. Unfortunately, there are still many unknowns concerning the technology used to create and run the Arms Forts. However." Diana taps the table, and screen built into its surface changes, showing a map of the region around Mars Base and the Alliance forces. "From what little we have been able to gather through the ECM interference, and the data collected from DK's sensor logs, The Alliance forces are staging for a massive assault. It is quite possible that they plan on capturing the base rather then just destroy it."

"They must know we will destroy Mars Base before that happens." Valkyrie says grimly. "More then likely." Diana agrees. "However, it is still too early to determine what their strategy is."

"I wasn't able to get much either." Sumika grimaces. "My contact in Scissor Forest contacted me yesterday after the assault group left the facility. If his estimates are right, we might be looking at a full mechanized battalion, probably more. They are not messing around."

"Question is." Jouster muses. "Is it all for us, or are we just in the way?" Sumika shakes her head. "My contact also said that White Glint was leading this assault. I'm pretty sure most of it will be for us."

"Given the length and size of this Arms Fort." Diana says. "I do not doubt the estimated numbers. This arms fort appears to be a massive, mobile field base."

"Just like The Spirit of Motherwill." Jouster grimaces. "No." Diana objects. "Spirit of Motherwill, though it does have troop transport capabilities, is not a mobile base. Rather, it is a massive assault unit. This arms fort is a true mobile field base on a massive scale."

"That means we're going to have to destroy it." Kain grimaces. "Unfortunately." Diana says. "That may not be possible at this time. Simply surviving the upcoming assault will be questionable at best. I believe that regardless of what their long term goals might be, in the short term, our eradication is their only priority."

"Then we need to figure out how so we can stop it." Valkyrie declares. "Tina, you still there?"

"_I'm here._" Tina replies, her voice coming out of a small comm. unit built into the table. "_Long range communications are still down. We're not going to be able to call for help until we get the ECM levels down a bit. We were supposed to upload the weekly reports to UEG HQ in Baylore about twenty minutes ago though. Hopefully, they'll figure out something is wrong and send some help._"

"Any chance they might just see the big fucking boomerang in the sky?" Kain asks. "Probably not from Baylore." Valkyrie replies. "I doubt we'd be that lucky."

"I believe." Diana says, getting their attention. "That the enemy's first primary goal will be to destroy the target scrambler. Once it is destroyed, the arms fort will be able to target us with the full might of its arsenal."

"Where is that thing located anyways?" Kain asks. "On the roof." Valkyrie replies. "Surrounded by AMS, and a couple of powerful plasma cannons."

"I thought those were WALNUT gun emplacements?" Sumika asks. "They were." Valkyrie agrees. "But Attacker changed them to plasma cannons, along with a lot of the other defensive weapons. Are you sure the grid is up and running Diana?"

"From what parts I was able to investigate, yes." Diana replies. "_We've been doing manual fire control checks at our end._" Tina says. "_So far, everything is responding._"

"We've also got ground forces armed with heavy weaponry." Gunner says, speaking for the first time since the meeting started. "Probably not enough to take down an MT or AC, but concentrated fire could do some damage."

"How many?" Valkyrie asks. "About twenty." Gunner replies. "But as pilots lose their vehicles, we can arm them if we don't have replacements. Harpy's also on the Tarmac waiting for liftoff."

"One tricked out chopper isn't going to make that much of a difference." Kain says. "But at this point, we need everything and the kitchen sink I guess."

"And then some." Jouster adds. "Regardless." Valkyrie says. "We have to hold out. There is no escaping people: It's them or us." The others nod grimly in agreement. "How long before they're on us?" Jouster asks. "_Hard to tell with the ECM._" Tina replies. "_But I've got spotters with long range telescopes on the roof watching for any signs of approaching units._"

"Telescopes?" Valkyrie asks, a little surprised. "Where did you find those?"

"_Don't ask._" Tina sighs. "The MBUs have been deployed near the airstrip." Diana says. "We also have a few refuelling vehicles stationed around the base." Gunner adds. "So we can rearm the ACs and MTs as needed."

"Anything else anyone wants to add?" Valkyrie asks. "If shit starts going south, put your head between your legs and kiss your ass good-bye." Kain says, Jouster and Gunner chuckling slightly at his words. "Anything constructive?" When no one else speaks, Valkyrie nods. "Alright, ACs deploy in fifteen. Tina or myself will handout assignments as needed. Stay on the Outer Heaven frequencies. And watch yourselves out there: We can't afford to lose anyone else right now."

********

Sitting at a table in the break room alone, Jerky, Jessica, and Saru are eating a quick meal. Beyond the open door, the three can hear and feel the tension of the upcoming battle as base personnel prepare for the worst. "Saru." Jessica calls out after a bit. "Those ACs: You knew them?" Saru sighs, putting down his fork. "I did." He admits. "Widow, tarantula, and Zimmer. We were all part of the same tactical unit. We were not particularly close, or so I thought. When I left, Zimmer swore he'd see me dead."

"Sounds like there's a lot more to that story then your letting on dude." Jerky says around a mouthful of food. "That is all you need to concern yourself with." Saru tells him. "The quarrel between us is personal."

"Besides, you three have more important things to worry about right now." Valkyrie says as she enters. Hearing her, the three quickly get to their feet and salute, Jerky's fork still hanging out of his mouth. "At ease." Valkyrie waves dismissively. "We're sending a STORK equipped with enhanced communications equipment out towards Baylore. It's going to take the long way around until it clears the projected battle zone, then make a B-Line for Baylore and call for help. Since neither of you three are official members of Outer Heaven yet, I'm giving you the option to evacuate with some of the civilians."

"I thought all the civilians had already left?" Jessica asks. "This is the last batch." Valkyrie replies. "Anyone who stays behind after this transport leaves is going to have to fight or die."

"I intend to remain." Saru says simply. "Me too." Jessica says after a few moments of thought. "I'll admit it: I'm scared, but I'm not going to run away. Even if I do, if Alliance makes it through here, no where's safe." Valkyrie nods. "What about you Jerky?" Taking the fork out of his mouth, Jerky swallows before asking. "Uh, how are we doing as far as the whole, getting in with Outer Heaven going ma'am?"

"Jerky!" Jessica exclaims in shock. "What?" Jerky asks. "Just wondering. I mean, like, if I stay, I don't want to get stuck somewhere in the back waiting, you know."

"Don't worry." Valkyrie tells him. "You survive this, I'm willing to make you all official members of Outer Heaven. This is your trial by fire, and you'll get thrown into the meat grinder like everyone else."

"Righteous." Jerky says. "Then I'm so ready to go dude, I mean, ma'am." Both Jessica and Saru give the beachbum flat looks. "What?" he exclaims. "If you're going to go, you gotta go try to ride the biggest wave man. You know what I mean?"

"I do." Valkyrie says. "And I understand. Hopefully, we'll all live to see the sunrise tomorrow. Finish eating. You deploy in ten." With that, Valkyrie turns and leaves the break room. Once she is gone, Jerky quickly goes back to eating. "You looked as though you wanted to leave." Saru says to Jessica. "I was thinking about it." She admits. "I wasn't kidding when I said I was scared. But then I remembered something my daddy used to tell me: If you start something, finish it, or don't bother holding you're head up high. One way or another, I guess I'm finishing this fight."

"Hopefully, as the winners." Saru says quietly, taking his seat once more. Picking up his fork, Saru starts to pick at his food again, when a new siren suddenly starts to blare. "So much for ten minutes!" Jessica shouts, Saru already out of his chair and running towards the door. Jessica follows behind, with Jerky bringing up the rear, plate in hand, eating as he runs.


	21. Chapter 19

Chapter 19 – The First Salvo

Standing at the center of C&C, Tina watches the screen before her as one of the spotters on the roof zooms in with the telescope he is using. The view changes, focusing on a large group of MTs and Normals flanked by tanks and other armored vehicles. "How many?" Tina asks. "A lot." One of the officers manning the C&C with her replies. "Reading twenty MTs: Ten OWLs, and ten CR-MT85BP. Counting thirty Normals behind them, and twenty armored vehicles."

"They put the piloted MTs in front?" Tina asks, surprised. "Yes ma'am." The officer replies. "That's not right." She says to no one in particular. "Put up the tactical display." The screen before her changes, to a topographical display in black and white. Mars base is displayed by a large Blue X, the advancing enemy forces in reds of various shapes. A large green circle surrounds Mars Base, the first of the MTs crossing its border. "Targets are in range." Another officer calls out. "Hold fire." Tina orders him. "Ma'am?" The man asks, confused. "Hold fire." She repeats. "Let them get a little closer first."

"_Status._" Valkyrie calls out over the comm.. "First wave has just entered the defensive perimeter." Tina replies, going over to the communications station. "We're just waiting for them to get close enough to hammer. I'm worried though: The MTs are at the front of the attack."

"_Keep me informed._" Valkyrie orders her. "Roger." Tina replies before going back to her original position. Looking at the tactical display, Tina sees that over half of the enemy forced has crossed the border. "Open the comm., general frequency." The communications officer gives her the thumbs up after several seconds. "Alliance forces." Tina says loudly. "You have entered Outer Heaven territory. You have ten seconds to start turning around before we open fire." Tina makes a cutting motion with her left hand, and the communications officer closes the comm.. "There." She says. "That should take care of UEG's new rules. Status on the enemy force?"

"They're about eighty-percent in." The Officer watching the radar replies. "That should work. All missile batteries, one salvo, fire on my mark." There is a brief flurry of activity as the C&C crew work to carry out her order. "All stations reporting ready." The communications officer calls out. "Fire!" Tina shouts. The second the word leaves her mouth, a large patch of yellow dots appears over Mars Base on the tactical display. Watching, Tina waits for the impact when another Officer shouts. "Incoming fire from the arms fort!"

"What?" Tina exclaims, whirling to face the man. "How?" Looking over her shoulder at the tactical display, Tina watches as most of the missiles, halfway to their target, suddenly disappear. "Bastards!" She exclaims, the floor beneath her shaking slightly. "Report!"

"Spotters on the roof confirm the arms fort firing!" The communications officer calls out. "Put him on!" Tina orders as she goes to his side. The officer complies, and a new voice joins the growing cacophony. "_I repeat! Arms fort-_"

"Start from the beginning." Tina orders him. "What happened?"

"_The arms fort fired a large volley of ordnance ma'am!_" The spotter says frantically. "_They blanketed the area ahead of the first wave and destroyed the missiles in flight!_" Tina curses loudly. "Status on the mines?" She calls out. "No response!" A female officer calls out. "Damnit! They knew we were going to do that! That's why they put the MTs in front. Did anything get through?"

"Minimal damage to enemy forces." The radar officer calls out. "Wait, new contacts! Detecting a large number of CRANWELL transport choppers inbound!"

"AC's or MTs?" Tina shouts, looking over at the tactical display. "ECM interference is preventing a positive ID!" The radar officer replies. "But visuals seem to indicate MTs or Normals." Cursing, Tina debates what to do for a split second before shouting out orders. "Pull the spotters back in and activate the rooftop defenses! All gunners fire at will at anything that crosses into firing range of the target scrambler! Seal all eastern entrances and alert the defense forces in that area to expect a heavy attack! Get the warlord."

"_I'm here._" Valkyrie replies before the communications officer can do anything. "They shot down our first salvo." Tina warns her. "We got CRANWELLs incoming with who knows what and still no sign of any ACs."

"The Normals just moved ahead of the MTs!" The radar officer calls out. "Contact!" Another officer shouts. "AC forces engaging the southern perimeter!"

"South?" Tina asks. "It's a pincer! Alert the northern perimeter! Valkyrie, deploy now!"

********

"_Jouster, Raiden, south! Maya, Jerky, north! Sumika and Bomber support the eastern defense! Amazon and I will try and take out some of those CRANWELLs! Kain! Do what you do best, but your priority is to take out White Glint or any other NEXT that arrives on field!_"

"On it like a ra-" Kain starts to say when his AC is rocked, the screen going white for several seconds. "_Confirmed fire from the arms fort!_" Tina shouts. "_Were we hit?_" Valkyrie asks. "_N-Negative!_" Tina replies. "_But it was close! Too close to us, and the incoming units!_"

"_It's a distraction._" Jouster says. "_Trying to keep our heads down while their forces move in._"

"_Well whatever it was._" Sumika adds. "_They can't do it again without risking hitting their own forces now._"

"_Move out!_" Valkyrie shouts. "_Where we going?_" DK asks him. "Which side has the most shit to shoot?" KAin asks. "_Looks like, wait! Contact! Two ACs moving in from the west fast!_"

"Mine!" Kain calls out. Turning his AC, Kain punches the OB, and flies out towards the two contacts. Watching them get close, Kain sees that they are both bipedal units equipped with bazooka arms and missiles. "Heavy hitters." Kain says. Cutting the OB, Kain fires the KAWASARA at the lead AC. Taking the hit, the AC explodes violently, a mushroom cloud forming over the blast, surprising Kain. "Holy shit they're bombs!" Kain shouts, quickly realizing the Alliance's plan. Looking for the other one, Kain curses when he sees it has already past him, OB still going strong. "Oh no you don't!" Kain shouts, punching the OB. Giving chase, Kain fires again once he gets close, but the AC evades, surprising him yet again. Growling slightly, Kain waits until he gets closer to the AC and activates his grenade launcher and fires a round, and quickly follows with a shot from the KAWASARA before cutting his OB. The AC dodges the grenade, and flies into the energy round, exploding.

"Damn." Kain curses. "That was close. If those things had reached the airstrip. Get Tina on the horn!"

"_Already told her about the Trojans._" DK tells him. "Good." Kain nods. "Let's go see what else we can kill before whitey shows up."

********

Dual chain guns firing, Jouster peppers the Normal with rounds until its core explodes. Boosting backwards from the explosion, Jouster turns on another Normal, firing a three-shot burst from his linear AST rifle before charging forward with a swing from his MOONLIGHT. "_Incoming from above!_" Raiden warns him as the second normal explodes. Boosting backwards, Jouster starts to look up, when a large MT lands before him. Letting out a surprised shout, Jouster reacts, activating his dual-chainguns and firing. "CR-MT98Gs!" Jouster calls out over the Mars Base frequency when re recognizes the quad-legged MT. "Watch yourselves!" Taking out the one before him with his laser blade, Jouster sees more coming from above, the CRANWELLs returning towards the arms fort once their deadly cargo has been deployed.

"_I thought the warlord was going to take out those transports?_" Saru asks. "Good question." Jouster replies, switching frequencies. "Jouster to C&C. What's the status on the transports?"

"_This is C&C._" The communications officer replies. "_Be advised that there are enemy fighters in the air. Armed escorts prevented us from dispatching the first wave._"

"Damn." Jouster curses. "They've thought of everything." Switching back to the general Mars Base Frequency, Jouster Listens for Kain as he avoids fire from another of the quad-legged MTs. "Kain, where you at?"

"_Oh, you know._" Kain replies. "_Just blowing shit up and trying not to get blown up in the process._"

"_Watch it!_" DK shouts in the background. "_Fuck._" Kain curses. "_Alliance didn't spare the weapons for this assault. These Normals are packing some big guns._"

"_Thanks for stating the obvious!_" Sumika shouts. "_We need support on the eastern front! MT units are breaking through the defenses!_"

"_On our way!_" Valkyrie calls out. "_Kain, where are you?_"

"_Cleaning up on the north side. Sill no sign of any AC presence yet, regular or NEXT._"

"_Getting some weird readings though._" DK says. "When you get the chance, we need a little support over here Kain." Jouster tells the other Raven. "_Alright, gimme a sec and-_"

"_Incoming fire from the Arms Fort!_" Tina suddenly shouts. "_Brace yourselves!_" Looking around, Jouster has a second to register a flash of yellow before the world around him goes white as snow. Blinking he tries to find something, anything, to tell him what is going on, when reality suddenly comes crashing back, hard. Grunting as he gets thrown to the side, Jouster manages to regain his senses and his control over his AC in time to boost out of the way of more fire from the 98G MTs. "_Report!_" Tina calls out. "I'm fine!" Jouster shouts back. "_Eastern defensive perimeter, report!_"

"_This is Bomber! Eastern defensive perimeter hit hard! Sumika is down!_"

"_I'm up!_" Sumika replies shakily. "_Just, surprised. What the hell happened?_"

"_I don't know!_" Tina replies. "_Valkyrie, Amazon, move to and support the eastern defensive perimeter!_" Cursing, Jouster takes out another MT with his rifle. "How are we doing?" Jouster asks his partner. "_We've almost taken out all the MTs, but the Normals are snipping us!_"

"_Harpy has just confirmed a spotter vehicle at the edge of the Target Scrambler's area of effect._" Tina calls out.

********

"_Kain, take that spotter out!_" Valkyrie shouts. "_We'll hold the eastern defensive perimeter until the ground forces recover!_"

"On it." Kain replies, taking down another normal with a shot from his KAWASARA. "Harpy, give me eyes on the damn thing."

"_Harpy is out of range._" Tina tells him. "_Co-ordinates have already been uploaded to your map._"

"Got it." Kain tells her, hitting the OB. Adjusting his course, Kain flies eastward, shooting down the occasional enemy as he goes by. "_AC detected._" DK warns him. "_It's one of the five from before, hold on. . . yeah, it's AC Sight Hawk._"

"That name sounds familiar." Kain says, cutting his OB. "_Sight Hawk was part of the Vertex rebellion._" DK tells him. "_According to the data we have, this guy is the original Crow's great grand kid._"

"He's about to meet his great grandpa." Kain growls, switching to the general frequency. "All right you shit heads! That spotter's going down! If you don't want to get scrapped along with it, you better get the hell out of my way!"

"_I don't think so!_" A voice replies. "_This is Crow. The target is in place! Spring the trap!_"

"_Oh shit!_" DK exclaims. "_Massive energy build-ups around us!_" Looking around, Kain catches sight of a shimmer to his right. Aiming at it with the KAWASARA, Kain fires, and the shimmer explodes when hit. "_Look out!_" DK shouts. Boosting backwards, Kain quickboosts left, then forward, then boosts into the air to avoid three large columns of energy. "What the hell was-" Kain starts to shout when a fourth column hits them. "_HEP Shield down!_" DK warns him. Dropping to the ground, Kain fires another round from the KAWASARA at the next shimmer, taking it out as well, "What the hell are these things?" Kain asks.

"_No idea!_" DK replies. "_AC Sight Hawk above us! Energy build-up starting again!_" Cursing, Kain activates his gatling as he takes out the third shimmer. Sight Hawk meanwhile, fires from above, pelting Dark Knight with machinegun rounds and rockets. Quickboosting backwards, Kain spots the spotter vehicle, and aims at it with his KAWASARA. Seeing this, Sight Hawk drops down towards him. "_Die!_" Crow shouts. "You first." Kain replies, boosting forward. Surprised, Sight Hawk boosts away from Kain as the last two unknown weapons fire. Easily dodging the first, Kain smiles as Sight Hawk takes the second round in the back, arcs of energy shooting across his AC. "_It's some kind of EMP weapon!_" DK says. "_That's how it took out the HEP shield so fast!_"

Seeing that Sight Hawk is momentarily paralyzed, Kain fires the KAWASARA, taking out the spotter vehicle as he starts to hose the AC down with rounds from his gatling. "Spotter down!" Kain calls out on the Mars Base frequency. "How are we doing on the front?"

"_We've managed to rebuild the eastern defensive perimeter._" Someone Kain does not recognize calls out. "_But the defenses are trashed. We need anti-vehicle support!_"

"_Armor is rolling your way east wall._" Tina replies. "_Kain, finish off that AC and move to support._" Kain fires two round from the KAWASARA into Sight Hawk, taking him offline. "Consider him finished." Kain says. "_Hey, still two invisible thingies out there!_" DK shouts at him as they fire. "Relax." Kain tells the AI, Quickboosting backwards to avoid both shots. "_Quit playing around Kain!_" Tina shouts at him. "I'm going!" Kain growls. Taking out the last two weapons with his KAWASARA, Kain starts to boost back towards the defensive line, when he catches sight of something on radar. "Heads up!" He shouts, turning and boosting the right as a flock of missiles comes towards him.

********

Landing, White Glint watches as the Last Raven executes several quickboosts to avoid her missiles. "_Spotter vehicle has been destroyed._" Captain Arman Haldric reports. "I saw." White Glint replies. "It lasted longer then expected. I did not think we would be able to fire. Regardless, the attack is going as planned. Order the next wave to commence their attack. I will deal with the Last Raven myself." Missiles evade, the Last Raven finally takes notice of her.

"_About time you showed up._" He grunts. "My apologies for keeping you waiting." White Glint tells him. "But my attention was required for the first stage of the attack. You are vastly outnumbered, and the Sky Claw will rend your base to pieces if necessary. Surrender now and I will see to it that your lives are spared and you are unharmed."

"_Lemme think about that one._" The Last Raven says. He will attack, the thought occurs to White Glint. "_How about, no!_" The Last Raven fires his KAWASARA at her, but White Glint is already on the move, quickboosting to the side and taking to the air. Switching to her rifles after firing another pair of missiles, White Glint flies towards her target. The Last Raven meanwhile, activates his OB, and shoots past the missiles and under her. Surprised, White Glint turns around, cutting her boosters and falling, Quickboosting backwards to avoid another shot from the Last Raven's laser rifle.

Firing in retaliation, White Glint sees two of her five rounds hit the Last Raven's shield, but unlike before, it shows no sign of weakening. Undaunted, White Glint boosts forward, shooting from both rifles. The Last Raven evades the round with a quickboost, then fires a shot from his KAWASARA. Taking the hit, White Glint is surprised to see the energy round hit her primal armor, and punch through it, striking her in the core. "How?" She exclaims in surprise, boosting away from the black AC. Checking her AP, she sees that the hit had done much more damage then before. Activating her OB, White Glint shoots past the Last Raven, putting some distance between them.

Once he is out of firing range, White Glint cuts her OB and starts to turn, but instead quickboosts aside when the Last Raven comes flying at her with his OB active. Cursing, she puts three rounds into him as he flies by, his strange energy shield absorbing most of the bullet's kinetic energy before passing through and hitting the AC. "Recalculate enemy AC variables based on current combat data." White Glint orders. Her AC's systems comply, and after several seconds, a new set of numbers appear in the bottom right hand corner of her screen. "Impressive." She says when she sees them.

Avoiding the Last Raven's next two shots from his KAWASARA, White Glint keeps the distance between them. "_You going to stand and fight?_" The Last Raven demands. "_Cause if you're just going to run away, I'm going back to the real fight._"

"I was surprised at your sudden increase in performance." White Glint admits. "Your AC, despite its size, performs as though it were a true NEXT."

"_Got some upgrades._" The Last Raven replies simply. "_You're not going to complain about me cheating are you?_"

"Far from it." White Glint replies, grinning beneath her helmet. "This will make our battle much more enjoyable now that we are on equal footing. Come, show me your true power!"

********

"Whoa!" Kain exclaims, as he boosts aside to dodge fire from White Glint. Before he has a change to retaliate, White Glint takes to the air and flies towards hit, more rounds coming from her rifles. "Damn, I think she just got excited!" Quickboosting away from the NEXT as he activates his gatling. Firing several short bursts at the white NEXT Kain manages to drive her back momentarily, long enough to get his bearings and brace himself for her next attack.  
"So, you wanna play rough now eh?" Kain asks. "Fine, let's rumble!" Boosting forward, Kain fires a long burst from the gatling and a pair of rounds from the KAWASARA. White Glint, still in the air, easily avoids the two energy round, though takes some punishment from the solid slug hail storm being fired at her.

"_Kain report!_" Tina shouts. "Tangling with Whitey right now!" Kain replies. "And, Whoa!" Kain quickboosts to the left to avoid a point-blank missile from White Glint's left back launcher. "Real busy right now!" Kain shouts, firing more rounds from both weapons into the NEXT. Her primal armor starting to deteriorate, Kain presses the attack, firing a round from the KAWASARA that connects with the shield, depleting it. Firing second time, Kain manages to hit White Glint point blank before she activates her OB, quickboosts to the side, and goes shooting by him.

Spinning around, Kain activates his own Over Boost to follow her, but quickly cuts it, boosting forward to avoid another hail of missiles from White Glint a short distance away. "_Oh, she's good._" DK remarks. "Yeah." Kain says, a grin appearing on his face beneath his helmet. "This is going to be fun."

********

"_Last Raven has engaged AC White Glint._" Tina reports over the Mars Base frequency. "_What does that mean_?" Bomber asks. "It means we're not going to get any help from him for awhile." Sumika replies. Checking her radar, she sees that the re-enforcements of MTs and armor have arrived, but are still trying to get into position behind the hastily erected barriers put up earlier. Ahead of them, another wave of enemy units is fast approaching, this one consisting mostly of Normals boosting towards them. "We're not going to survive this." She says out loud. "Not without some way of. . ." An idea coming to her, Sumika starts entering trajectories into her AC's advanced sensor system. "Tina!" She shouts. "Sending you firing co-ordinates! Lock on and wait for my signal!"

"_Understood!_" Tina replies. "Let's go Bomber!" Sumika calls out as she boosts forward. Boost hopping over the makeshift barricade, Sumika heads towards the advancing line of Normals. "_What are we doing?_" Bomber asks. "Making a fire break." Sumika replies. "But we have to slow down the advance first." The first Normal coming into target lock range, Sumika activates her weapon arms. The long, rectangular barrels that make up the LEO weapon arms spilt apart, and twin beams of red light come shooting out, hitting the Normal dead center. Staggered, the Normal tries to recover, but another set of lasers and a few missiles from Heavyrain's weapon arm launchers take it out.

"Hold the line!" Sumika shouts, firing on the next Normal. "All support units, slow fire until I give the signal!" Switching to her right back GLL grenade launcher once the second Normal is down, Sumika fires at another Normal, while one of Jessica's large MPX 'Titan' missiles strikes a fourth Normal, demolishing it. Checking her radar, Sumika sees more Normals coming towards them, the two ACs getting their attention. "Now, break!" Sumika orders bomber as she boosts away from the approaching wave. "Tina, now!" High above them, missile launchers and heavy cannons lining the skin of Mars Base fire at the approaching wave, the massed Normals easy targets thanks to their focus on the two ACs.

"All support units, fire!" Sumika calls out. "Pick off the stragglers!" MTs and armor fire their weapons, raining more death on the units missed by Mars Base's opening salvo. "_Enemy line decimated!_" Jessica calls out. "Yeah, but theirs two more coming." Sumika grimaces when she checks her sensors. "That's the problem with AI units: it's all about the numbers."

"_Numbers we don't have._" Valkyrie says as she and Megan land near the defensive line. "_Fall back for re-arming. We'll hold the line until you get back._"

"Roger." Sumika responds. "On our way." Sumika starts boosting around Mars Base to where the MBUs are setup. "_Are we winning?_" Jessica asks. "Don't know." Sumika admits. Looking up at the sky, she sees that the sun has almost set. "One thing's for sure though: It's going to be a long night."


	22. Chapter 20

Chapter 20 – Re-Enforcements

Moving from console to console, Diana does her best to keep track of the flow of battle in the MBU. Also moving around are Thom and Thim, working the various controls of the MBU as units come in for supplies and repair. "Sumika." Diana says into her comm. when she stops at a station and notices Desperado and Heavyrain approaching. "Move to the MBU for repairs. Bomber, proceed to way point R for rearming."

"_How are we doing?_" Sumika asks. "Holding on, barely." Diana replies. "Alliance has another five waves inbound."

"_Five?_" Sumika exclaims in shock. "_Where are they getting all their units? Even the number of MTs they've committed so far must be costing them._"

"Most likely." Diana replies. "I think this was supposed to be their major assault for the entire region. The good news, is that if we stop them here, it'll put a very big crimp in their plans."

"_And the bad news?_" Diana grimaces. "The bad news, whether we stop them or not, our survival isn't looking good." Diana opens her mouth to say more, when one of the other consoles starts blaring a warning. "The southern defensive perimeter just came under heavy fire!" She exclaims. "_I'm on my way there._" Jessica says. "Be careful." Diana warns her. "_Doctor, the scan has completed._" Thom calls out. "Anything we can use?" Diana asks. "_Affirmative._" Thom replies. "_Triangulation of the signal was successful._"

"Are you serious?" Diana asks, rushing to his side. "_What?_" Sumika asks. "Hold on." Diana tells her as she checks the results. "I knew it!" She exclaims. "Get the warlord on the line!"

********

Landing from her boost jump, Valkyrie fires her LANDON, the shoulder mounted railgun letting out a slight whine as it charges for several seconds, then fires its deadly round into the damaged Normal, punching a large, neat hole through its core before exploding. Beside her, Megan drops another Normal with concentrated fire from her two hand weapons. "_Warlord!_" Megan calls out. "_New units inbound! They look like quads._" Checking her radar, Valkyrie sees the location marked, and turns her AC to get a good look at them. "What are those?" Valkyrie asks, surprised when she sees the large, quad-legged Normals, Their right arm large gatling guns, their left arms sporting large, full body shields.

"_Trouble._" Megan replies. "Those shields look tough. Stay here, I'm going in!" Boosting forward, Valkyrie flies towards the first of the new threats. Seeing her coming, the Normal brings its gatling arm up to bear, and fires a thunderous hail of large calibre rounds. Swerving to right, Valkyrie fires from her left-handed sniper rifle, and tries to get around the unit, but the Normal turns with her, doing its best to track it with its fire. "_Watch your three!_" Megan warns her. Looking to her right, Valkyrie curses and takes to the air as two more of the quad-legged Normals open fire on her. "These ones are moving a lot better then the bipedals!" Valkyrie calls out.

"_Not good enough._" Megan counters, firing her GREYON3 at the Normal Valkyrie attack. Its back to Megan, the Normal is unaware of the high-powered energy round as it smashes into its back, destroying it. "_They do not seem to be as well armored as the bipedals._" Megan remarks. Firing at one of the remaining two still harassing the warlord, Megan curses under her breath when the normal blocks the shot with its shield. "But those shields make up for it." Valkyrie finishes. "Tina, we have a new problem."

"_I've been monitoring your progress on with the quad-type Normals._" Tina tells her. "_But we have a more pressing concern. Diana tried to contact you earlier. Alliance forces are not using a single ECM generator, but a series of three scattered across the area._"

"Did she manage to pin down their location?" Valkyrie asks, landing by the barricade. "_One of them. The source of the signal is about fifteen kilometres north of here, but we don't know who or what to expect._"

"Where's Harpy?" Valkyrie asks. "_Down for repairs for at least twenty more minutes._" Valkyrie boost strafe's to avoid fire from the incoming Normals. "Where's Kain?"

********

Swearing profusely under his breath, Kain watches as White Glint avoids more of his fire by quick boosting. "You just had to pick a damn hand rocket, didn't you?" Kain asks testily. "_You said surprise me._" DK points out. "In a good way!" Kain retorts angrily.

"_Kain, where are you?_" Valkyrie demands. "_He's kind of busy right now._" DK replies for him as he focuses on trying to keep up with White Glint. "_Still trying to nail White Glint._"

"_It's been almost twenty minutes!_" Valkyrie exclaims. "_They're evenly matched._" DK replies. "_And trust me when I say evenly, I mean-_"

"_We don't have time for this!_" Valkyrie snaps. "_A wave of new-type Normals are hitting us hard! Diana's managed to pinpoint the location of one of the ECM generators. Take it out and maybe we can call for help!_"

"Whitey might not want me to play with someone else right now." Kain growls, rounds from his gatling gun hitting her primal armor. "_There's no one else who can go Kain, we're getting hammered hard here!_"

"I'm on it!" Kain assures her. "Get that little bitch on the comm.." He then orders DK. "I got to admit." Kain says once DK complies. "You're a hell of a lot better then I gave you credit for."

"_And you are everything I expected._" White Glint replies. "Hate to fight and run, but I'm needed elsewhere. But don't worry, I'll be back shortly to finish kicking your ass." With that, Kain feints to the left, and punches his OB. Seeing this, White Glint tries to react, but does not see through his feint, and can ends up doing nothing but shooting at empty air as Kain goes shooting forward. "How we doing for weapons and AP?" Kain asks. "_Gatling's almost dry. Two grenades left, but plenty of rockets._" Kain grumbles slightly at the mention of the rockets but otherwise remains silent. "_AP's down to about seventy-five percent. It's a good thing those rifles don't pack as much punch as they used to._"

"Show me where we're going." Kain orders his AI partner. DK complies, the new way point appearing on his map. Turning towards the destination, Kain keeps the over boost running. "She still following?" Kain asks. "_Yeah, but she's having problems keeping up. I figure we'll have about, thirty-seconds once we get there._" Nodding, Kain takes to the air, and shouts in surprise when he sees a hail of grenades coming at him. "What the hell?" He exclaims, quickboosting aside to avoid all but one that impacts against the HEP shield. "_Detecting multiple ground units._" DK informs him. "_Looks like a couple of quad-legged Normals and some ground vehicles packing serious firepower._"

Cutting the OB as they get near the target area, Kain sees the EMP generator, a large tower mounted on the back of a flatbed truck big enough to carry an OSTRICH. Falling, Kain quickboosts left then right to avoid another salvo from the tanks on the ground. "These guys are really playing for keeps." Kain says, firing the KAWASARA and taking out one of the armors. Landing, Kain starts strafe boosting as he picks off more of the armors with his KAWASARA. Getting one of the quad-legged Normals in his sights, Kain fires at it, and frowns when the Normal blocks the round with its shield. "Figures." He growls.

Firing again, Kain sees the round once more blocked, but the shield taking on heavy damage. A third round destroys the shield and parts of the Normal, and a fourth round for good measure destroys it. Unfortunately, while dealing with the Normal, Kain loses track of the other three guarding the ECM generator, and grunts in surprise when their combined fire start to pelt his AC. "_HEP shield going down fast!_" DK warns him. "I know!" Kain shouts. Quickboosting to the right, Kain catches one of the Normals with a round from the KAWASARA in the side, just behind the shield. As it explodes, Kain switches to both back weapons.

Firing a short burst from the gatling at the third normal as he approaches it, Kain forces it behind the cover of its shield. Putting the third Normal between himself and the fourth, Kain Boost hops into the air, firing a grenade and hitting the fourth Normal in the head as he goes by. Landing from the hop, Kain quickly turns around, and finishes the third with his last grenade and a short burst of fire from the gatling. "_Normals down!_" DK tells him. "_But watch that armor!_" Before he reacts, Kain feels three grenades explode against his AC, the HEP shield going down. "Damn persistent little bastards." Kain growls, switch back to the KAWASARA. Firing at one of the vehicles that had hit him, Kain takes it out, and boosts towards the ECM generator.

Boosting by the generator, Kain fires a short burst from the gatling into its base, the machinery holding the tower up shredding into twisted scrap before exploding. "That's one down." Kain says, the tower starting to fall over. Turning his attention to the remaining vehicles, Kain starts to take them out when he sees a new contact on his radar at long range. "What's that?" Kain asks when five more appear. "_Checking._" DK tells him. "_And look out!_" Already aware of the projectile, Kain avoids another grenade fired at him and retaliates. "_Watch it!_" DK tells him. "_The last thing I need is one of those up my ass!_"

"You're already a pain in the ass!" Kain retorts. "_Ids coming in. Hey, those are UEG fighters!_"

"Serious?" Kain asks, surprised. "_Confirmed Scylla squad inbound on our position._"

"About time we had some good news. See if you can patch us in, and, whoa!" Kain manages to barely quickboost aside as White Glint comes shooting towards them. Firing at her as she goes by, Kain manages to hit her with a round from the KAWASARA. "_You will not escape that easily!_" White Glint shouts. "Who's escaping?" Kain retorts. "I'm a busy guy: Places to go, people to shoot, things to blow-up!" Kain punctuates the last point with a rocket from his left-hand rocket launcher. White Glint shoots it down with a shot from her left hand rifle, and fires a missile from her left launcher. Seeing it, Kain boosts away from her, and fires a burst from his gatling as the missile splits, the rounds taking out all but two of the smaller projectiles.

"Don't get me wrong." Kain says, his core's AMS taking out the last two missiles. "I'm kinda enjoying this, but you picked a real lousy time to want to dance." Kain fires the KAWASARA at her again, following it with another short burst from the gatling. "_Twenty rounds left._" DK warns him. "That's not going to go far." Kain mutters. White Glint meanwhile, avoids the round from the KAWASARA, but takes the rapid fire rounds to the right arm, then stops. Surprised, Kain starts to fire the KAWASARA at her again, but stops. "She still online?"

"_Very._" DK replies. "_You win this round Last Raven._" White Glint declares. "_It seems I'm required elsewhere as well._"

"Oh, now you want to run!" Kain exclaims. "Get back here before I-"

"I_xnay!_" DK tells him in a hushed tone. "_We need to help the others!_" Kain growls slightly in frustration. "Next time Whitey." Kain vows over the general frequency. White Glint responds by taking to the air. "_This is Scylla squadron._" A new voice calls out over the general frequency. "_Confirmed sitting of hostile unknown-type AC. Commencing attack._"

"Get them on the horn!" Kain tells DK. "_One sec, okay, you're live._"

"Negative Scylla." Kain calls out. "This is Last Raven to Scylla squadron. I repeat: Do not engage hostile NEXT, you're just going to be target practice for the bitch." There is a long pause before the same voice from before replies. "_Identification codes verified Last Raven. This is Scylla leader. We detected high level of ECM during a training exercise and came to investigate. What is your status?_"

"Somewhere between really bad and knee deep in shit." Kain replies. "Alliance forces have launched a massive assault from Scissor Forest via a new aerial Arms Fort. Mars Base is holding the line so far, but we're getting pounded hard. Tell me you can call for re-enforcements."

"_Are you serious?_" Scylla leader asks in surprise. "I don't have time right now for pulling legs." Kain snaps. "This is the real fucking deal buddy."

"_Understood._" Scylla leader replies. "_We will, hey, what's that in the horizon?_" Kain shrugs, but before he can continue, another member of Scylla Squad exclaims. "_Holy shit lieutenant, that thing's huge! Radar can't pick up the ends!_"

"Can I say I told you so now?" Kain asks sarcastically. "Scylla Leader, get your squad to Mars Base and sync up with C&C ASAP."

"_Understood._" Scylla leader says. "_On route to Mars Base._" Nodding, Kain looks around, and sees that the area has been sanitized off enemy units. "That takes care of that." He declares. "Let's head back and reload, and get a better left-hand gun."

"_Well at least it was a surprise._" DK says testily. "You get points for that at least." Kain admits, chuckling.

********

Swearing under her breath, White Glint cuts her OB once she is certain she is out of range of the battle, and the Last Raven. "What is the meaning of this captain?" White Glint demands. "_Your AP and weapons are-_" Captain Haldric starts to say. "Do not dictate to me how to fight my battles!" White Glint shouts at him angrily. "_Regardless._" The captain says. "_The order to withdraw was a pretence in case the enemy was listening. We've made contact with an Alliance assault group coming from the west._"

"The West?" White Glint asks, surprised. "How could they have, of course. These must be the re-enforcements the Matriach spoke of. What is their ETA to the battlefield?"

"_Fifteen minutes._" The captain replies. White Glint ponders this latest development. "Those fighters, they are UEG correct?"

"_Correct, but its doubtful they'll make any real impact in the coming battle._"

"Never assume captain." White Glint tells him. "Outer Heaven has already proven to be much more resilient then we originally anticipated. Begin preparations to commit the reserve forces to the attack."

"_But we need those forces for-_" Captain Haldric once more starts to speak, but White Glint cuts him off angrily. "I am well aware what they are intended for captain! But what you seem to have forgotten, is that if we are to proceed with the retaking of the mainland, we must crush Outer Heaven and the Last Raven! Prepare the reserves captain, but do not deploy them until ordered, is that understood?"

"_Yes ma'am._" Arman replies. White Glint cuts the link between her and the Sky Talon's captain, and sits back, taking a deep breath. All around her, night has fallen, but is brightly lit with the light of battle in the distance. Woe to the fool who interrupts me next time, she thinks angrily. "This is White Glint." She then calls out on the Sky Talon's engineering frequency. "I am returning to base for re-arming. Prepare my bay for docking." Taking to the air, she once more activates her Overed Boost, and starts flying towards the Sky talon.

********

Arriving back at Mars Base, Kain immediately heads for the MBU. "I need a reload." He tells Diana when she contacts him. "And a replacement for this damned Hand Rocket."

"_Alright, get in line._" She replies. "How's it going over here?" Kain asks. "_Things have slowed down a bit. Scylla One's really helped take some of the pressure off us, but it's just a matter of time before Alliance launches their next major assault. The others are holding up alright for now. Midas even tried to get out of the infirmary._"

"Why?" Kain asks. "He can't be stupid enough to try and pilot in his current condition. "_Apparently, Midas thinks otherwise._" Diana says dryly. "_We had to threaten to send Maya in to take care of him before he let up._" Checking his clock, Kain sees that it is almost ten at night. "Damn, doesn't feel like it's been a couple hours since the attack started."

"_Close to three and a half._" Diana supplies. "_But your right. I never seen this kind of fighting before. Scylla Leader did manage to get a message out to their airfield before they got here, so hopefully, we'll see re-enforcements soon._"

"Probably not soon enough." Kain mutters. "_Kain._" Valkyrie calls out his name as she joins the conversation. "_What happened with White Glint? Did you take her out?_"

"Doubt it." Kain grimaces. "She bugged out after I took down the ECM generator. She's probably gone back to the Arms Fort for a reload."

"_Diana, some of the troops on the ground mentioned seeing something in the western horizon before the sun went down. Can you confirm anything?_"

"_Not really. ECM is still thick. Harpy's doing a recon to the south, but we can send one of the Scylla's to recon the west._"

"_Do it._" Valkyrie orders her. "_I have a bad feeling right now. Kain, I need you to try and stay close to the base for the next little bit. We took a few bad hits, and it's going to take time for Gunner's crews to get the armor and MTs rolling again._"

"What about White Glint?" Kain asks. "She's itching for more one on one action."

"_Fight her close to the base. Maybe the base defenses will get a few lucky hits. We need you here. If they send the same kind of forces as before, we're going to get overrun this time._" Kain sighs. "I'll see what I can do." DK meanwhile, walks the AC into the repair bay. "_What did you want for the left hand?_" Diana asks him. "I'll stick with the blade and that laser." Kain replies. "Think I'm going to go a little old school for this next part. Any chance at jumping out and getting a few beers?"

"_We're still getting attacked on the south and eastern fronts Kain._" Diana tells him. "Okay, how about getting one of your bots to bring a few over to my core then?"

"_Do I really have to dignify that one with an answer?_"

"You're killing me." Kain sighs. "What's a guy got to do to get a drink around here?"

"_You got water in your core._" Diana replies. "I said a drink, not water." Kain grumbles. "_Megan's on the line for you._" DK tells him. "Put her on." He tells the AI. Seconds later, Kain hears Megan's heavy breathing. "You okay?" He asks her. "_This is the first time I have been in a battle this long._" She admits. "It's going to get a lot longer before it's done."

"_You are well?_" Kain shrugs. "I'd be a lot better if Diana wouldn't be so cheap and just give me a few beers."

"_I'm still on this frequency._" Diana says flatly. "I know." Kain replies. "_You do not need alcohol at this time._" Megan admonishes him. "Speak for yourself woman." Kain grumbles. "You've been holding yer ground Megs? I hear you guys were getting a lot of heat."

"_We have managed to hold the line, but the losses have been extensive. Fortunately, we seem to be losing more vehicles and MTs then lives, but that may soon change._"

"Gunner's really putting people on the front lines with rockets?" Kain asks. "_Not entirely._" Diana replies. "_The Alliance commander sent in several squads of soldiers to try and gain access to the main building when the defensive perimeter got spread too thin. One squad managed to breach one of the smaller service entrances, but we managed to fight them off._"

"They trying to capture this place or blow us up?" Kain asks. "_I think they're trying to take out the Target Scrambler so they can blow us up._" Diana replies. "_Regardless, we will not allow them to succeed._" Megan says. "Just try not to get yourself killed out there." Kain tells her. "Hey, you think we got time to-"

"_Attention all forces!_" Tina shouts out over the Outer Heaven general frequency. "_Enemy forces coming in from the west! I repeat, enemy forces coming in from the west!_"

"What the fuck?" Kain exclaims. "How the hell did they get around us?"

"_I don't know!_" Diana replies. "_But according to the readings Scylla just sent us, we're looking at a dozen Cranwells, a large number of BAT MTs, and, oh no. It's another NEXT!_"

"_Oh shit._" DK utters. "Damn right." Kain grimaces beneath his helmet. Repairs to his AC complete, Kain walks out of the MBU as the two halves separate. "_Kain!_" Valkyrie practically shouts at him. "I heard." Kain says. "I'll deal with the NEXT, but we're we don't have a real defensive line back here, so get me some backup!"

"_Sumika and Bomber, defend the airstrip!_" Valkyrie orders. "_I'll cover the east with Amazon. Tina, do you have any good news?_"

"_I might have gotten something from the UEG forward base near Barlahm canyon, but even if they send us any support, they're at least an hour out. I-_" Tina stops for several seconds then curses. "_Damnit, Midas tried to force his way out of the infirmary again._"

"_Tranq him if you have to!_" Valkyrie orders. "_No wait!_" Diana shouts. "_I have an idea! Tell Midas to sit still for a few minutes while I try something._"

"Whatever." Kain says. "Tell Gunner to get some forces over here. We just got boxed in."


	23. Chapter 21

Chapter 21 - Anjou

Watching the battle unfold from White Knight's cockpit, White Glint starts when she realizes who is leading the re-enforcements. "Aliyah!" She curses, reaching for her comm.. "Connect me with AC Blade Gash." White Glint orders once the communications officer answer. "_No need ma'am, she wants to talk to you._" The officer replies. "Then put her on." White Glint orders. Seconds later, a new voice answers. "_Still not done?_" A deeper female voice asks. "The Mars Base facilities weapons have been enhanced." White Glint replies. "As well as the Last Raven's AC. He has a fully functional NEXT."

"_How is this possible?_" The woman demands. "Why are you here Aliyah?" White Glint counters. "This is my campaign, not yours."

"_The Matriach sent me to support you._" Aliyah replies. "_By her orders, I am under your command._" Aliyah laughs briefly. "_The first amongst the Order's knights, taking orders from the second. How novel. I am most interested in seeing how you will perform._" White Glint grits her teeth. "Then make sure you heed my orders Aliyah. Attack orders have already been relayed to your forces. Your task will be to confront the Last Raven, and prevent him from supporting the Outer Heaven Normals. Without him, they will eventually fall. But make no mistake: Though they are piloting only Normals, they are highly skilled and not to be underestimated."

"_Do you fear them?_" Aliyah asks curiously. "I do not fear them." White Glint counters. "But I respect the Outer Heaven Normals that have already wiped out a quarter of the Sky Talon's compliment of mechanized forces."

"_A quarter?_" Aliyah excalims, shocked. "_How is that possible?_"

"Take heed Aliyah." White Glint warns her. "The Outer Heaven and the Last Raven, are not to be taken lightly." There is a long pause before Aliyah chuckles. "_Certainly, this will be interesting._" Aliyah cuts the conversation from her end. "How long before repairs and reaming is completed?" White Glint demands. "_Five minutes ma'am._" One of the garage technicians replies. Sighing in frustration, White Glint slumps angrily in her seat. One can only hope she does not ruin my plans, White Glint things sourly.

********

Working at the terminal, her hands almost twin flesh-colored blurs, Diana is once more in a place she does not want to be. Her eyes half closed, her thoughts filled with countless equations and codes, schematics and blueprints for a thousand wondrous and terrifying things. And memories. Hundreds upon thousands of memories of untold lifetimes lived by a man now dead for more then five years, but had lived longer then anyone could ever possibly imagine. Deep in the grips of what she has come to call the zone, she works with an inhuman speed and determination that while cold and emotionless on the outside, is within her a raging torrent of information and emotions that she desperately tries to control and shape to her will.

"It is done." She declares, her voice once more flat and emotionless. "Doctor, escort Midas to training simulator 3a. Modifications to the device should be completed by the time you arrive."

"_What are you doing?_" Midas asks, his voice still rough, but stronger then the last time she had heard it. "Unfortunately, the current condition of your body prevents you from piloting your AC with the necessary proficiency needed to survive this combat. In order to compensate for this, I have essentially, built you a new body. AC Crusher will be fully online in five minutes. Please make haste doctor, there is still much work to do prior to deployment."

********

"Re-zoning complete." Tina declares, looking up at the strategic map. "All units, move to your prescribed locations and prepare for a hell of a fight. Red Rose, proceed to the airstrip and prepare for hostile assault. Jerky, commence hit and run tactics against approaching eastern units."

"_What about the NEXT?_" Jessica asks. "Kain will handle it."

"Reports from the Gunner ma'am!" One of the techs calls out. "Base defenses are at sixty-three percent capacity and-" The tech is stopped by a distant explosion that rocks the room. "Report!" Tina shouts, steadying herself on a nearby chair. "Fire from the arms fort!" Someone calls out. "Indirect hit to the northern perimeter!"

"Detecting fluctuations in the power grid! Energy output dropping to seventy-six percent!"

"Anti-air grid five just went offline!"

"Is there another spotter in the area?" Tina shouts. "Negative!" A tech shouts. "Trajectory indicates they are shooting blind again!"

"Trying to soften us up before their next attack." Tina mutters. "Divert power from any non-essential systems you can find and get those AA guns back online! I want repair crew on that grid now!"

"Ma'am, the disorder units are going online!" Her head snapping up in shock, Tina rushes over to the tech who had just shouted out the warning. "Where?" She demands. The technician calls up a schematic of the base, and points out a section near the northern face of the main building. "That's where we were hit, right?" Tina asks. "Yes' ma'am." The tech replies. "Hopefully, they're going to help get the power grid back online. I still want repair crews down there now though. And someone get Diana on the comm.!"

********

OB at full power, Kain flies towards the incoming enemy forces. "_What's the plan?_" DK asks him. "Go in, take out as many of the bastards as we can before the NEXT decides to come after us and-"

"_Incoming!_' DK shouts suddenly. Seeing the flash ahead of them, Kain quick boosts right, cutting the OB as a black NEXT goes shooting by, a bright blue flash coming from its left hand. "Was that a laser blade?" Kain asks, turning the AC to face the NEXT. "_And a really big one too!_" DK replies. Ahead of them, the NEXT cuts its own OB as it passes Kain, spinning around as it lands and firing a pair of missiles from a launcher on its right back weapon mount. Boosting backwards, Kain tries to avoid the missiles when his AMS fails to take them down, but is surprised when they explode before impact. "What the hell was that?" He demands.

Before he can get an answer though, the black NEXT comes flying out of the explosion, laser blade flashing. Cursing, Kain quickboosts back and fires the KAWASARA, but the NEXT nimbly avoids the shot, scoring a hit against the HEP shield, but missing the AC behind it. "_HEP down fifty-eight percent!_" DK calls out. "_And those missiles self-detonated when they got close. Some kind of proximity trigger._"

"Cute." Kain grunts. Boosting sideways, puts some distance between himself and the NEXT, the NEXT doing the same. Taking a look at the AC, Kain sees the large laser blade attached to the left arm, and a machinegun in the right hand. On the back right shoulder is the missiles launcher with its trick ordinance, and on the left is a gun of some sort. The AC itself is coal black, it's somewhat slender build covered with odd spike-like protrusions. "So, you're the next Order flunkie I get to perforate?" Kain asks. "_You may address me as Anjou, first of the four._" The NEXT's pilot replies. "Oh, we're moving up in the world." Kain says. "_Looks like it._" DK agrees.

"_I commend you for holding out as long as you have Raven._" Anjou continues. "_But you're resistance is futile. Surrender now, and you will be spared a painful, and humiliating death._"

"She really doesn't know us that well now does she?" Kain asks dryly. "Listen Angie, So far, I've taken out bubbles, beat up whitey a few times, and perforated who knows how many of your machines. You really think you're going to be able to take me out that easy?"  
"_I see why she has such an, interest in you._" Anjou says, a hint of amusement in her voice. "_Nonetheless, you will not escape me._"

"Yeah, yeah." Kain says dismissively. "Heard it all before. Listen, can we wrap this up quick? Cause I got a whole lot more-" Anjou quickboosts forward, the large blade on her left arm flashing to life in a great blue arc. Kain reacts, boosting away from the attack and firing a round from his KAWASARA that Anjou easily evades. "_You talk to much Raven._" Anjou tells him. "_Now fight or die!_"

"Fine by me!" Kain shoots back as Anjou activates her OB.

********

Boosting towards the incoming tanks, Jerky fires a round from his back mounted slug gun as he goes by. Hitting the tank in the side, Jerky fires again, this time finishing it off as he boosts aside to avoid fire from an enemy OWL MT. Spinning to face the OWL, Jerky switches to his sniper rifle, and puts a one round into the owl, then a second after dodging more fire from it. As it goes down, he switches to his missiles and locks onto another OWL. "_What's your status Jerky?_" Tina calls out on the comm.. "Trying to keep them back ma'am!" Jerky shouts. Not waiting to see if his missiles finish off the OWL. "But there's like, a lot of these guys out here!"

Taking out another tank with a few more missiles, Jerky starts to focus on anoter OWL when his AC is rocked violently by an explosion. "Dude!" Jerky shouts. "What the hell was that man?" Looking around, Jerky quickly spots the source of his attack: The two quad-legged ACs from before, and a third Bipedal. "Oh man!" He exclaims, boosting away from the trio. "Jerky to base! I got those three ACs from before on me! They like, snuck up on me or something!"

"_Fall back to the defensive perimeter Jerky!_" Valkyrie orders him. "_We have a surprise waiting for them._"

"On it!" Jerky replies. Turning, he starts to activate his OB, when Black Widow drops down in front of him. "_Leaving so soon?_" She asks over the general frequency. "_But you can't! We've only just started taking you apart!_" Boosting to the right, Jerky tries to slip past her, but Black Widow keeps up with him, firing her pixie machine gun at him. "I need help!" Jerky shouts. Behind him, Tarantula fires his CHIMERA, hitting Jerky in the back and bringing his AP down even further. "_You picked a poor warband to join._" Glimmer tells him. "_Now you can pay for your choice._"

"_Not yet!_" Saru shouts over the general frequency as he comes up behind Black Widow, pounding her with rockets, shotgun shells, and rounds from his EO. Caught by surprise, the quad AC backs away from Saru. "_Go Jerky!_" Saru shouts. "_I'll cover you!_"

"You can't fight them alone dude!" Jerky shouts. "_I don't intend to._" Saru assures him. Nodding, Jerky activates his OB. "_Don't let them escape!_" Glimmer shouts, activating his cannon. Seeing this, Saru boosts towards Glimmer, but Tarantua blocks him, firing his machinegun arms. Saru starts to evade, and Jerky loses sight of him. "_Status Jerky!_" Jessica calls out. "I made it out!" Jerky replies. "AP's like, close to half, but nothing's broken yet."

"_Saru, fall back!_" Valkyrie orders. "_Trying!_" Saru grunts. "_Fire support Jerky!_" Valkyrie orders as she boosts past him. "On it!" Jerky replies. Activating his vertical missiles, Jerky advances until he gets a lock on Black Widow. Firing, Jerky starts to lock for a second salvo as soon as the first one clears the launcher. Valkyrie meanwhile, comes up behind Tarantula, pelting him with fire from her two WYRM sniper rifles. Surprised, Tarantula tries to turn, and Saru takes advantage of the move, boosting up close to Tarantula and putting a round from his shotgun into the other AC's core at point blank range.

"_Fall back Raiden!_" Valkyrie orders other pilot as Jerky fires another salvo at Black Widow, Tarantula crying out in pain in the background of the general frequency. "_No!_" Black Widow shouts. Taking hits from the second salvo, Black Widow ignores them, activating her pursuit missiles. "Look out!" Jerky shouts out the warning. "_Die traitor!_" Black Widow shrieks, twin pods shooting from the launchers. "_Go!_" Valkyrie orders Saru as countless small missiles come shooting from the two pods. Boosting, the two try to outrun the missile storm, and are partially successful, evading some, but still taking numerous hits.

"Dudes!" Jerky shouts out frantically. Cursing, he turns his attention to Black Widow, his slug gun coming online. "Lady, you are going too far!" Activating his OB, Jerky shoots towards Black Widow, cutting it after a few seconds just to build up speed. Surprised, Black Widow tries to turn towards Jerky as he starts to pelt her with slugs and machinegun rounds. "_Help me!_" She shouts frantically over the general frequency. "_Help yourself._" Glimmer replies. His FINGER now empty, Jerky continues his assault, strafing around to Black Widow's back as she tries to turn, his fire unrelenting.

Finally, Black Widow screams in frustration, and her AC's legs give out, sending the machine crashing to the ground. "_Get over here Jerky!_" Valkyrie shouts.

"On my way!" Jerky replies, activating his OB. After a short flight, Jerky meets up with Valkyrie and Saru, both looking distinctly shot up. "_Well done._" Saru congratulates him. "_I did not think you had it in you._" Jerky shrugs. "It's nothing dude. Just glad you guys are like, okay."

"_Where'd the third AC go?_" Valkyrie asks. "R_an away most likely._" Saru replies, a hint of contempt in his voice. Checking his radar, Jerky sees no sign of the other AC. "_He'll be back._" Valkyrie says. "_Let's go, this battle isn't over yet._"

********

Grunting, Kain quick boosts away as Anjou comes in, slashing with her laser blade. Countering with fire from his gatling, Kain tries to pin her down, but the black NEXT quick boosts to his left, firing from her own machine gun. "_She's fast!_" DK says. "No kidding!" Kain retorts. Firing the KAWASARA, Kain scores a hit on the NEXT, and is in turn, hit by a round from her back-mounted slug gun. "Shit, I wish we had brought missiles!" Kain curses, Boosting aside to avoid another slash from Reaver's MOONLIGHT.

Turning to face the NEXT, Kain slashes with his own laser blade, scoring a hit on the NEXT's right arm as she quick boosts away from him and fires several missiles. Boosting away himself, Kain fires several bursts from his Gatling. The combined fire from his Gatling and AMS manage to take out all but one of the missiles, which detonates once it gets close. Anticipating this, Kain quick boosts to the left as soon as it gets close enough to blow, avoiding the damage.

"Okay, she's fast." Kain admits. "But she's geared for close combat. Let's see if we can use that." Punching the OB, Kain sends his AC flying towards the NEXT. Seeing this, Anjou boosts towards him, slashing with her laser blade as he gets close. Jinxing to the right, Kain strikes with his own laser blade, the two weapons colliding and bouncing off each other in a shower of sparks and arcing energy. "What the hell was that?" Kain shouts in surprise, cutting the OB and turning to face Anjou. "_I don't know._" DK admits. "_It's like the two blades, deflected each other. There was a massive spike in energy consumption on the blade when it happened, be careful._"

Nodding absently, Kain fires the KAWASARA twice, catching Anjou with the first, but missing the second as she jinxes with a series of quick boosts. Boosting away from her, Kain activates his grenade launcher, and starts to boost away from Anjou as she comes towards him, activating her OB. Seeing this, Kain gets ready to dodge, and Anjou hops into the air as the OB fires. Keeping it on for a split second, she shoots past Kain, turning in mid air. "Damn!" Kain curses, quick boosting forward. Seeing this, Anjou follows him, pelting him with rounds from her machine gun and slug gun. "_Concede Raven!_" Reaver shouts. "You first!" Kain shouts back. Quick boosting backwards, Kain shoots under Reaver as she goes by overhead.

Taking aim, Kain opens up with both back weapons, hitting Reaver before she has a chance to react. Quick boosting to the right, Anjou starts quick boosting forward as fast as she can, Kain keeping up with her. Suddenly, Anjou drops to the ground, and quick boosts back into him, the two colliding. "Sonnova!" Kain shouts in surprise, the core shaking with the impact. DK tries to say something, but her voice comes out as garbled static. Pulling free, Kain boosts away from Anjou as she turns to face him. His targeting still glitchy from the contact between the primal armor and HEP shield, Kain tries to fire, but gets no response from the back weapons.

"_Checkmate Raven!_" Anjou exclaims. "Guess again!" Kain shouts back, boosting forward. "..t a-ing.." DK's voice starts to come through the garble. Ignoring the AI, Kain works the controls hard, bringing up his AC's left arm. Slashing with her laser blade, Anjou hits the Grenade launcher on his shoulder, but is unable to predict Dark Knight's left fist coming up in a left hook that hits the NEXT in the core. Punching the OB, Kain curses when it does not fire, but follows up with a point-blank shot from the KAWASARA as his targeting comes back online. Her primal armor down, Anjou quick boosts back from Kain as he fires from both the KAWASARA and his Gatling.

"_I can't believe that worked!_" DK exclaims. "_Are you crazy?_"

"I didn't work!" Kain spits. "If it had, the laser blade would have shish-kebabed the bitch." Backing away from him, Anjou tries to fire her machinegun at him, but Kain presses on the assault, his gatling giving her primal armor no chance to regenerate. "_Weird._" DK says. "_Her Kojima Particle output is low. It's been low since we first ran into her._"

"Who cares." Kain says. "A few more shots and-"

"_Missiles incoming from behind!_" DK shouts the warning. Checking his radar, Kain spots them, and punches the OB. Seeing it start to charge, Anjou tries to come at him to slash with her laser blade, but Kain evades, and sends himself hurtling forward for a second before cutting the OB. "Three guesses where those came from." Kain says sourly. Turning, he sees White Glint land by the black NEXT, her flight wings retracting back into the pods.

********

Seeing the damage done by the Last Raven, White Glint cannot help but smirk. "You were warned." White Glint tells Aliyah, a hint of contempt in her voice. "_So I was._" Aliyah agrees. "_The enhancements to his Normal make him as deadly as any of us. However, I am far from beaten._"

"No matter." White Glint replies. "Proceed to Mars Base. Our engineers have located the source of the jamming frequency on top of the Main structure. Destroy it so we can put an end to this."

"_Should you not attend to that yourself?_" Aliyah asks. "_After all, I think I am far more suited to-_"

"You have your orders." White Glint tells her. "Will you obey?"

"_This is your command._" Aliyah replies. "_I will obey._" Turning, Aliyah activates her OB and heads for Mars Base. "Now." She says over the general frequency. "Where were we, Last Raven?"

********

Watching the battle unfold, Diana frowns. "It appears that one of the NEXTs is approaching." She tells Thom. "Inform C&C immediately. What is the status of Crusher?"

"_Modifications have been completed as per your orders doctor._" Thom replies. "_AC Crusher is ready for deployment. However, there is still residual interference from the Simulator._" Diana nods. "I am aware of this. It will be dealt with shortly." Looking outside, Diana sees the night lit up with the fires of burning wreckage, the flash of rockets and missiles firing, and explosions of those who give their lives to whomever they might serve. "_Diana!_" Tina calls out from one of the terminals. "_One of the NEXTs broke through and is coming our way! Tell me you have something we can use to slow that thing down!_"

"If it was White Glint, we would be facing defeat." Diana replies. "However, this particular AC seems to have the same misconceptions concerning the strength of our ACs as Belial had. I believe we can use this to our advantage." Going to the terminal Tina's voice is coming from, Diana enters several commands. "Uploading attack plan armor breaker now. Make certain everyone is in position before our foe arrives."

"_On it._" Tina replies. Nodding, Diana walks calmly to a nearby window to look outside once more. "To think, after all this time, we have truly learned nothing about ourselves." She says absently, her voice taking a deeper tone then normal.


	24. Chapter 22

Chapter 22- More Desperate Measures

Sitting on the Tarmac, Jessica watches her radar worriedly. Off to the sides, Maya and Sumika wait, their ACs powered down to avoid radar detection. "Are you sure this is what we're supposed to do?" Jessica asks worriedly. "_Just stick to the plan._" Valkyrie tells her. "_Any news Tina?_"

"_Jouster, Amazon, Raiden, and Jerky are holding the defensive lines for now, but they're going to need help soon._" Tina replies. Shaking her head, Jessica does her best to stifle a yawn. "_Still no sign of those re-enforcements?_" Valkyrie asks. "_None._" Tina replies. "_And the casualties are climbing. We need to turn this around soon, or there won't be anyone left alive by dawn. The only other thing to report, is that Gunner took a team and manage to salvage one of the CRANWELLs you shot down from the first attack._"

"_What's that going to do us?_" Sumika asks. "_Maybe a lot._" Valkyrie replies. "_I got an idea._" Checking her radar, Jessica sees a new contact. "Here it comes!" She calls out. Turning her AC to face the NEXT, Jessica waits for it to approach, and as soon as she has a lock, fires three salvos of missiles from her arm launchers. All salvos hit the NEXT, though Jessica can't tell if her shots did any damage. It did however, get the NEXT's attention, the huge machine altering course to come at her. "Oh shit!" Jessica swears, boosting away from the NEXT. "Oh, shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!" The last iteration comes out as a scream as the NEXT lands before her, the two a scant dozens of meters from each other.  
Backing away from the NEXT, Jessica switches to her large missiles. "Any time now guys!" She shouts, the NEXT raising its machinegun to fire at her. "_Sumika, Red Rose, go!_" Valkyrie shouts out. The two ACs, already powering up as Anjou had landed, waste no time in starting to pelt the NEXT with grenades from their respective weapons. Above them, perched on top of the garage, Valkyrie fires her LANDON, the railgun humming loudly as it charges. "_Out of the way rookie!_" A new, male voice shouts. "_Midas?_" Maya calls out in surprise. Not waiting for clarification, Jessica boosts to the left as she fires her missiles.

Caught between multiple targets, Anjou starts to boost backwards to escape the deadly trap, when a bright red streak comes shooting from the AC garage. Catching her by surprise, the shot hits her NEXT where the core and legs join, staggering her. As she recovers, the projectile explodes, rocking the NEXT again. "_How is this possible?_" A female voice shouts as Anjou's OB activates. "_Don't let her escape!_" Valkyrie shouts. Switching to her middle missiles, Jessica tries to lock on, but the OB fires, and Reaver goes shooting off into the night. "_They're too fast!_" Sumika curses. "_I can't believe that worked!_" Tina exclaims. "_Only because Kain did some damage earlier._" Valkyrie counters. "_No doubt, she's heading back to the arms fort for repairs._"

"_Midas!_" Maya exclaims. "_What are you doing piloting? Your wounds!_"

"_Midas is not piloting the AC._" Diana tells them. "_Prior to the increased fighting on the Panakir coast, I had been working on several prototype armatures as upgrades for Thom and Thim, or perhaps additional units. Regardless, it is one of these prototypes piloting Crusher. Midas is controlling the prototype himself from one a modified simulator._"

"_It's tough._" Midas says. "_But I can manage. After all, you can't have your biggest, baddest AC on the side lines in a fight like this._"

"_Kain might disagree with you about the big bad part._" Sumika says. "_But it's good to have you out here._"

"_Enemy units are falling back!_" Tina exclaims. "_I think we beat them!_"

"_No._" Valkyrie replies. "_They're just getting ready for-_" Valkyrie's words are cut off as another round of fire from the Arms fort's main guns hits the area North of the defensive line. "_Like I was saying._" Vlakyrie says. "_They're just getting ready for the third round. Get Kain back here as soon as you can. Midas, you and Bomber are on rear guard. Red Rose, join Jouster at the east defensive perimeter. Re-arm while you can, I get the feeling the next wave is going to be the hardest. Diana, switch to one-to-one, I got a plan to run by you._"

********

"Unbelievable!" White Glint exclaims, slamming her fist against her chair in frustration. Breaking from the fight, White Glint puts some distance between herself and the Last Raven. "_Your heads not really in the fight is it?_" He asks her. "_Guess dealing with little old me and taking out the base is a little too much to handle. Or did Angie just get her ass handed to her by a couple of Normals?_"

"I will admit." White Glint says, doing her best to keep her emotions in check. "That I have under-estimated the usefulness of your, earth-type Normals. But I will take this field of battle. This is far from over!" Turning, White Glint activates her OB and boosts towards Mars Base. Watching her Radar, she sees the Last Raven following her with his own OB, but though he is faster, her slight lead gives her the advantage. "Anjou!" White Glint shouts. "You had best be nearby!"

"_My AP is down to a quarter._" Aliyah replies. "_But I am far from defeated yet. What's your plan?_"

"I will distract the Outer Heaven Normals. Take out the Jammer, and do not fail this time!"

********

"Heads up!" Kain shouts. "Whitey's coming your way Mars Base!"

"_We see her!_" Tina shouts. "_Don't worry, guns on this side are still mostly active!_" Checking his map, Kain sees that White Glint is going to arrive at the airstrip critical seconds before him. "Watch it over there! She's not a push over!"

********

Seeing the airstrip, White Glint frowns when she sees a large green tank-legged AC. "I thought he was too injured to pilot?" She says to herself. Cutting her OB, White Glint quick boosts to the left to avoid fire from the large left-handed gun he carries, and puts several rounds from both Rifles into the AC. Behind her, another Tank-legged AC attacks her, hitting her in the back with grenades and a hi-powered laser rifle. Taking the hit, White Glint turns sideways and fires at the second AC with her right hand rifle. As the AC dodges, a third, reverse-jointed AC fires missiles at her from range. Seeing them coming, White Glint takes to the air and jinxes with a series of three Quickboosts as she continues to move forward.

"_Get back here!_" The Last Raven shouts from behind her. Seeing him coming on radar, White Glint switches to both her missile launchers, firing both at three second intervals. Quick boosting to avoid the rounds, White Glint turns to face the first tank-legged Normal and catches sight of Aliyah as she uses her MOONLIGHT to split an Earth MT in two. "Do not delay Anjou!" White Glint shouts, and starts when an explosion rocks her AC from behind. Turning, she sees the reverse-legged AC firing another large missile at her. Boosting to avoid the projectile and more fire from the two tank-legged Normals, White Glint fires a missile of her own at the third Normal.

Though it tries to avoid, the missile's splitting catches her by surprise, and the AC takes the full force of the attack. Seeing it almost destroyed, White Glint fires several rounds from her left hand rifle, and an explosion rips through the back of the Normal's core as it starts to fall.

********

"_Bomber's down!_" Valkyrie shouts. "_Kain, take her out!_"

"What the fuck do you think I've been trying to do?" Kain shouts. "_The Black NEXT's going after the jammer!_" Diana shouts. "_Stop her Kain!_"

"Would you people make up your mind?" Kain shouts. Taking to the air, Kain flies towards the top of Mars Base. Seeing this, White Glint tries to follow, but is forced to evade more fire from Midas and Maya. Checking his radar, Kain spots Anjou, and flies towards her, spotting her visually as she lands on the flat top of Mars Base. Seeing the two large Antenna, Anjou approaches them, and slashes one of the two with her laser blade, sending it crashing to the ground.  
"Oh no you don't!" Kain shouts, firing the KAWASARA. Taking the hit by surprise, Anjou reflexively boosts backwards, avoiding the second round when Kain fires it. Landing on the roof, Kain lashes out with his laser blade, catching the NEXT across the core.

********

Grunting at the impact from a projectile from the first Normal's strange cannon, White Glint starts to fire at it when the round suddenly explodes, catching her by surprise and depleting her primal armor once more. "Impressive." She breathes, taking to the air. "Anjou, retreat!"

"_I've only taken down one of the towers!_" She objects. "You will not survive the Last Raven's attentions for much longer! Retreat now! That is an order!" Activating her own OB, White Glint takes one last look at the Last Raven before she flies off towards the Sky Talon. "Captain Haldric, prepare the final wave. Use everything we have!"

"_If we use everything, we won't have anything left to proceed with the rest of the mission!_" The Alliance captain objects. "It does not matter!" White Glint shouts. "The Jamming that has been interfering with the Talon's long range targeting will soon be no more. This is an occupational force. If necessary, will wipe the facility from the face of this planet. Now, prepare for the final attack." There is a long pause before the captain replies. "_Understood._"

********

"What's Bomber's status?" Valkyire asks. "_She's okay._" Tina replies. "_Rattled but still in fighting condition. Heavy Rain took some serious hits, but Diana says it should'nt take too long to get it back online, once the fighting is done._" Valkyrie grimaces. "Alright, get Gunner to put her to work. Kain's status?"

"_Re-arming._" Tina replies. "_He's got some more hits, but he says he's still got a long way to go before he's done._"

"I hope so." Valkyrie sighs. Outside, the CRANWELL her AC and Megan's AC are attached to takes off. "_Can I just say this is a really screwed up plan._" Tina says. "I've you've got a better idea, I'm all for it." Valkyrie replies dryly. "Kain, you listening?" There is delay of several seconds before Kain replies. "_I'm reloaded and ready to blow more shit up._" Kain says. "_What's the plan?_"

"One of Gunner's salvage teams managed to recover a working CRANWELL from the first wave of Alliance forces. It's not in the best of shapes, but it still flies. Amazon and I are going to sneak into the Arms Fort through one of the MT bays, and try and put that thing out of commission."

"_Okay._" Kain says slowly. "_Even I think that's a crazy idea. What's going to stop them from shooting you out of the sky as soon as you get in range?_"

"Diana's cracked their IFF code, so we should be able to sneak in." Valkyrie explains. "But just to be sure, I want you to get to the Arms Fort ahead of us, and distract them."

"_Distract them she says._" Kain says sarcastically. "_How the hell am I supposed to do that?_"

"_How are we supposed to do that without getting shot full of holes?_" DK adds. "_That thing is crawling with anti-everything!_"

"You don't have to engage the Arms Fort." Valkyrie tells them. "Just keep them occupied until we clear whatever hangar we sneak into."

"_This is a really bad idea on so many levels._" Kain mutters. "_Diana just came back with the new figures on the Jammer._" Tina reports. "_And we just got an ultimatum from the Alliance forces to surrender or be destroyed. It doesn't look like they're going to try capturing the base anymore._"

"How long?" Valkyrie asks grimly. "T_en minutes._" Tina replies. "_But Diana figures that the Jammer's frequency strength will be degraded enough for them to lock on in about eight minutes._"

"Get over there Kain." Valkyrie orders him. "We'll be there in five."

"_On it._" Kain sighs. "_I really need to start getting hazard pay for all this._" Valkyrie ignores his quip as she starts to check Swiftwind's systems. "_Should we have not told them about the bomb?_" Megan asks on the one-to-one. "Too risky." Valkyrie replies. "Besides, Kain might get the bright idea of trying to do it all himself, and we're going to need him to deal with the two Order NEXTs when they show up. Just stay focused on the object. If Diana's right about this thing, hopefully we can take the Arms Fort down for good."

********

"Distract them she says." Kain grumbles. "Don't have to attack the Arms Fort she says. Have I mentioned this is a bad idea?"

"_I got the idea awhile ago._" DK replies. "Alright, is there any good news?"

"_According to reports from C&C, Skylla squadron did a few long range recon passes on the Arms Fort. If these pictures are right, it looks like they have a limited firing arc at the front and back ends. We're going to have to watch for fighters though._"

"Any change at taking down those big guns?" Kain asks. "_Not unless they're missiles are as stupid as the last time._" Kain grunts in acknowledgement. Ahead of them, the Massive aerial Arms Fort looms in the sky. "Damn that thing's big." Kain remarks. "Alright, let's buzz the tower and see what we can stir up." Cutting the OB, Kain takes to the air towards the Arms Fort. Instantly, he can see a myriad of cannons, missile launchers, and other smaller guns swivelling to point at them. Gripping the controls hard, Kain holds his course steady.

"_Incoming!_" DK shouts as an almost tangible wall of ordinance comes shooting from the underbelly of the beast at them. Keeping one eye on the radar and another at the scene before him, Kain continues to fly towards the Arms Fort. "_Any time now._" DK says worriedly. "Steady." Kain growls, watching the numerous missile signals on Radar get closer. "Just a little. . ." Kain suddenly and violently jerks the AC to the left, the quick boosts to the right, cutting the main booster. Dropping, he suddenly quick boosts left twice, then forward once, activating his OB. The missiles, unable to keep track with his boosts, start to lose track of him, but continue to fly in his general direction.

"This is going to be close!" Kain shouts as the Overed Boost kicks in, sending them flying forward towards the oncoming fire.

********

"He's here?" White Glint exclaims in shock. "_The Last Raven is attacking the Sky Claw._" Captain Haldric repeats. Cursing, White Glint is helpless as she waits for repair crew to finish repairing the damage done by the green Normal's weapon. "Not even he has the ability to avoid the power of-" White Glint is cut off as sirens start to blare outside of her NEXT. "_The Last Raven has made landing on the Sky Claw!_" Someone on the bridge shouts. "Deploy all anti-AC weaponry!" White Glint orders. "Do not let him gain access to the Sky Claw, and begin preparations to fire on Mars Base as soon as we have a seventy-five percent firing solution!"

"_You would attack them before the deadline?_" Aliyah asks. "They have given us their answer." White Glint replies. "And have made their choice. If they wish to martyr themselves for the UEG, then so be it."

"_Well said._" Aliyah tells her, a hint of pride in her voice.

********

"_How the hell did we survive that?_" DK exclaims as they land on top of the Arms Fort's right wing. "Damned if I know." Kain admits. "AP's down almost to half though, but at least we made it through in once piece. Status on the weapons?"

"_Klink Hammer and FOXFIRE are online and ready._" DK reports. "Good, see if you can find the bridge or command center. And let me know if you hear anything from Valkyrie." Checking his radar, Kain sees several new targets appear. Looking for them, he sees that they are defensive guns coming online. Raising the KAWASARA, he fires two shots, taking out the nearest one before boosting forward towards the next one.

"_Picking up a lot of coded chatter._" DK reports. "_I think it's safe to say we got their attention._"

"Now we just got to survive it." Kain says absently, taking out two more guns. Checking his radar again, he sees enemy interceptors flying towards him. Changing direction, he flies to the edge of the wing and drops off, boosting along its leading leg towards the center of the Arms Fort. Quick Boosting to avoid more fire from the behemoth, Kain quick boosts backwards twice when the interceptors get close enough to start firing, a hail of armor piercing rounds passing through the air where he had been moments before.

With the interceptors now in front of him, Kain activates the FOXFIRE, firing a volley of the deadly homing lasers as soon as they have a chance to lock on before boosting back up and landing on the Arms Fort. "You find anything yet?" Kain asks, Taking out another turret when its fire hits the HEP shield. "_Two ACs incoming!_" DK replies. "I meant good finds!" Kain retorts. "_Plenty. Uploading potential critical targets to map and radar now. These look like they could hurt if we take them out._"

"You sure?" Kain asks sceptically, grunting as he avoids a trip of missiles that slam into the hull beside him. "_No, but at least it'll piss them off._"

"Works for me." Kain says, punching the OB.


	25. Chapter 23

Chapter 23 – Clipping the Claw

"_The Last Raven has made contact with the Arms Fort._" The CRANWELL's pilot reports. "_Looks like he's managed to piss them off._"

"_Kain can be quite good at that._" Megan says dryly. "Cut the chatter." Valkyrie orders. "Ground team, is the package ready?"

"_Ready to blow as soon as someone hits the big red button._" Another voice replies. "Understood. Remember: As soon as the CRANWELL lands, get to the walls if you can't get out of the hangar right away. Don't want to step on anyone important by accident."

"_You hear that?_" The pilot asks. "_We're important! Wow, we really are moving up in the world._"

"_Stop trying to imitate my husband._" Megan orders them. "_Maybe we should-_" The second voice starts to say when the pilot cuts in. "_We just got called by Alliance Air Control._" Everyone immediately falls silent, Valkyrie unconsciously holding her breath for almost a minute before the pilot gives the all clear. "_We're in, but they're definitely wondering about the machines hanging in the cradles. Get ready for a hot drop people._"

The dozen men and women making up the ground team start going through the preparations. "What's the status on Skylla?" Valkyrie asks the pilot. "_They called in about three minutes ago saying that they are in the air and ready to give whatever support they can to cover our escape. More Alliance chatter: Sounds like LR's starting to do some damage. One of the NEXTs is about to get deployed._"

"Which one?" Valkyrie asks worriedly. "_Unknown, they're using location and order codes. Looks like it's going after LR though. We should have, BRACE FOR IMPACT!_"

The CRANWELL suddenly veers to the left, Valkryie's AC swinging slightly at the sudden, violent motion. Seconds later, she hears and feels the impact of an explosion against the CRANWELL. "_Looks like Air Control isn't taking any chances! Hang on to your nuts kids!_"

"Power up Amazon!" Valkyrie orders as she starts up her own AC. When the forward screen lights up, Valkyrie sees anti-air rounds and Flak flying around the CRANWELL. "_We've lost the number two rotor!_" The pilot shouts after another hit shakes the transport. "_We're losing altitude!_"

"Are we near the entry point?" Valkyrie shouts. "_Affirmative, but we-_"

"Drop the ACs!" Valkyrie orders him. "We can boost the rest of the way!"

"_Disengaging clamps now!_" Swiftwind shudders as the clamps holding the AC to the CRANWELL release, dropping it. Activating her boosters, Valkryie flies out from under the now smoking CRANWELL, and lands at the edge of the entrance to the hangar they were trying to sneak into. "_The doors are closing!_" Megan warns her. Seeing the large door starting to come down, Valkyrie curses, and boosts into the hangar. Taking aim at a pair of Normals standing nearby, Valkyrie fires with both of her WYRMs, Megan joining in as she lands beside her.

"Focus on the manned or active units first." Valkyrie orders her. Behind them, the CRANWELL manages to sluggishly rise up, and with a painful lurch, crashes into the hangar, its last working engine giving out in a small explosion. "_Go go go!_" The ground forces captain shouts as they start to evacuate the transport.

Seeing nothing moving but a small number of people running out of the hangar, Valkyrie starts to shout the all clear when the walls to her left and right shudder, and start to rise up. "_Contacts!_" Megan shouts. "A lot of them." Valkyrie adds grimly as they appear on her radar. "Start shooting as soon as you get a clear shot! Ground team, get to cover now!"

********

Landing on the Arms Fort, Kain tenses when the defensive turrets suddenly stop firing. "_What's going on?_" DK asks. "I'll give you two guesses." Kain replies, quickboosting to the side to avoid the black NEXT as it goes shooting by. Turning to follow it, Kain fires a shot from the KAWASARA as the FOXFIRE locks on to Anjou. After firing, Kain puts some distance between himself and the NEXT. "Back for more?" Kain asks. "_Your surprise attack failed._" Anjou tells him. "_As we speak, our forces are converging on your strike team. You will not succeed._"

"Damn." Kain curses. "_How did we know?_" Anjou asks, speaking the question Kain didn't have a chance to voice. "_Simple: None of those Transports were meant to return._"

"Expendable troops." Kain says in disgust. "_If there had been troops in them._" Anjou counters. "_Surrender and I will try to save your precious Mars Base from total destruction._"

"Don't know the meaning of the word." Kain tells her, raising the KAWASARA and pointing it at her. "_I was hoping you would say that._" Anjou replies. "_You are far too dangerous to allow to live._"

"Maybe." Kain admits. "But you sure as hell won't be the one to finish me." Activating the Klink Hammer, Kain fires at Anjou with the KAWASARA. The black NEXT dodges, and fires at him with her machinegun. Though a good number of the rounds hit the HEP shield, few make it through. Undaunted, Kain presses the attack with the KAWASARA, forcing the NEXT back. Trying to regain ground, Anjou quick boosts to his left, and comes at him intent on slashing at him with her laser blade. Anticipating this, Kain continues to fire the KAWASARA, then at the last second, quickboosts back from Anjou as she activates her blade.

Dropping the AC to one knee, Kain fires the Klink Hammer, the loud 'klink' of the shell ejecting audible even through the core's soundproofing. Committed to her strike, Anjou is unable to avoid the round as it pierces her primal armor, hitting the core and exploding violently. "That's got to hurt." Kain mumbles as he boosts forward, firing the KAWASARA. Her primal armor weakened, Anjou is unable to adequately defend against his attacks, the blast from the Klink Hammer shell having somehow disoriented her.

"And another one bites the dust!" Kain declares, slashing with his own laser blade. Though he scores the hit against Anjou, a single shot rings out, hitting Dark Knight's left arm and knocking it askew, turning the deadly blow into a solid hit at best. Cursing, Kain boosts away from Anjou as White Glint lands near her, firing a hail of rounds from both of her rifles. "What is this?" Kain demands. "Tag team fighting? Can't you guys stay out of each others fights?"

"_Our orders are clear._" White Glint tells him. "_And they will be executed._" Anjou continues. "_You will die._"

"Keep dreaming Angie." Kain tells her.

********

Boosting around the Normal, Valkyrie slashes at it with her laser blade. "Status?" She shouts, putting a second strike into the Normal's back to finish it off. "_We're meeting heavy resistance!_" The ground forces captain shouts of the constant dim of small arms fire. "_We might not make it to the objective!_" Checking her mission timer, Valkyrie sees that they are behind schedule. "Then go for one of the secondary locations!" She shouts.

"_We're pinned down!_" The captain shouts. "_I don't think we can, wait, we might have something!_"

Boosting sideways, Valkyrie avoids a sniper cannon round from the last standing Normal in the immediate area. Before she has a chance to counter the attack, Megan comes down on the machine, guns blazing. "_The immediate area is secure._" Megan reports. "_However, I detected more contacts coming from mid-ship._"

"How many Normals and MTs do they have in this thing?" Valkyrie asks. "_More then I would have thought possible to store in such a place I would think._"

"_Warlord! This is ground team! We found a place to dumb the bomb! It won't do the kind of damage we had hoped, but it should give them plenty of problems to deal with!_"

"Do it!" Valkyrie orders. "And get back here ASAP. More enemy forces are on the way and-" Valkyrie stops when the hangar door suddenly starts to open. "_Contact!_" Megan warns her. "_Something on the other side!_" Dropping to one knee, Valkyrie activates her LANDON rail gun, but is quickly forced to boost aside when a large energy beam comes shooting at her. "Look out!" Valkyrie shouts as dozens of small missiles come swarming at them. Boosting madly, Valkyrie jinx, and manages to avoid the brunt of the attack. Unfortunately, she still takes numerous hits, her AP dropping down dangerously low.

"Where did that come from?" Valkyrie demands. "_Fall back!_" Megan shouts at her in response. Complying, Valkyrie boosts away from the Hangar door, and sees a large MT hovering before the entrance. At first glance, Valkyrie sees a long rocket with arms and fins at the back, but the arms are two large bore cannons, and the fins, large engines that swivel, allowing the MT full VTOL and hovering capability. Rows of neatly lined holes cover its back in two stripes, and the flat head sports a single red eye. "What the hell is that?" Valkyrie shouts.

"_Something we cannot hope to win against!_" Megan replies as the MT hovers into the hangar. "Retreat!" Valkyrie orders. "Fall back down the hangar and try to find another way out!" Turning away from the MT, Valkyrie catches sight of another large salvo of missiles launching from its back.

********

Still in the MBU, Diana continues to monitor the battle with cold, calculating logic and an emotionless eye. By now, the bulk of the Alliance forces have fallen back to form a perimeter around the Arms Fort, though a number of un-manned Normals continues to assault the sorely depleted defenses of Mars Base. Above the line, the Arms Fort sits, Kain in combat with the NEXTs, and Valkyrie still unaccounted for. Checking the set of digital clocks counting down the various times on a screen to her right, Diana frowns. "They are late." She says out loud. "The Warlord should have been able to-"

"_Incoming transmission doctor._" Thom uniforms her. "_The warlord has been cut off from her escape point._"

"Put her on." Diana orders the machine. Thom complies, and Valkyrie's voice comes out loudly. "_-eat, we are under attack from a Behemoth class MT! We can't reach the hangar exit and are cut off from the ground team! We need assistance now!_"

"This is Killian." Diana responds. "Can you get me a visual of the MT?"

"_Diana?_" Valkyrie calls out in surprise. "_Just take the data from my sensors! We're almost out of ammo, we won't hold out much longer!_" Punching in several commands, Diana reads through the data almost as fast as it appears on screen. "Indeed. Hold your position as long as you can." Diana then closes the comm. channel. "Connect me with Dark Knight." She orders Thom. "I will require data from her sensors."

********

Dropping down below the belly of the ship, Kain quickboosts to avoid fire from one of the defensive turrets, and destroys it with a round from the KAWASARA. "How long is this supposed to take?" Kain demands. Above him, White Glint boosts off the Arms Fort into the air above him, firing both rifles. Flying under the belly of the Arms Fort, Kain looks for a place to set down so his condenser can recharge, but finds only the three massive barrels of one of the Arm's Fort's two main guns. "What the hell." He grunts, flying towards them.

"_What are you doing?_" DK demands as he goes up to the gun. Cutting the boosters, Kain reaches out with the left arm, and grabs hold of one of the barrels. Though the hand slips a bit at first, Kain manages to find purchase, Dark Knight now hanging in the air. "Improvising." Kain finally replies. "Where the hell's Val? Have you heard anything from them yet?"

"_Not really._" DK admits. "_I can try, wait, Diana's calling._" Seeing White Glint's legs appear, Kain fires the KAWASARA as he lets go of the cannon barrel, his condenser now charged enough to keep him going. Taking the shot to the legs, White Glint cuts her own boosters, dropping down until she too is under the Arms Fort, and gives chase. "Well?" Kain asks, quickboosting backwards. "_Just a second!_" DK tells him. Grumbling, Kain punches the OB, and sends himself flying at White Glint. Though she manages to hit him several times, she is forced to quickboost aside in order to avoid colliding with him. Cutting the OB, Kain starts to climb, and is forced to quickboost to avoid a slash from Anjou's laser blade as he comes back up to the topside of the Arms Fort.

"Persistent little bitches." Kain growls as he lands, his condenser near depleted. Boosting towards the black NEXT, Kain slashes with his own laser blade, hitting the primal armor, but not reaching the NEXT within. Seeing White Glint coming back up on radar, Kain activates the Klink Hammer, and after boosting away from the edge, spins around to face the white NEXT, dropping to one knee and firing as she comes out of hiding.

Though caught by surprise, White Glint manages to quickboost at the last second, avoid a direct hit from the shell, but taking the full brunt of the explosion when it nicks her left flight pod. Taking the opportunity, Anjou attacks, hosing Kain down with rounds from her machinegun and shoulder-mounted sluggun. Boosting away from her, Kain forces her back with a trio of shots from the KAWASARA.

"_Diana needs us to take out the marked target._" DK tells her. "_ASAP! The warlord's team is in trouble._" Kain checks the target location on the map and frowns. "Isn't that the bridge?"

"_Diana thinks so._" DK replies. "Now if we can just get past double trouble over there." Kain mutters. Landing on the edge of the Arms Fort, White Glint activates both of her missile launchers and fires. Boosting backwards from her, Kain starts to turn and activate his OB when Anjou comes shooting in on a series of quickboosts and slashes at him with her laser blade. Cursing, Kain is forced to evade the attack at the last second. Raising up the KAWASARA, Kain tries to fire at her, but the nimble NEXT quickboosts away from him while White Glint's missiles split apart. "Ah shit!"

Gritting his teeth, Kain tries to evade, but AMS is more effective. "_AP just dropped twenty percent!_" DK warns him after they weather the barrage. Turning, Kain starts to boost away from the two. Seeing this, Anjou comes up behind him with more quickboosts and tries to slash at him again. Boosting sideways, Kain avoids the attack and quickboosts backwards, getting behind the NEXT and pelting her with tracer rockets. "Get off my back!" He shouts over the general frequency, emphasising his words with a shot from the KAWASARA.

With Anjou sufficiently staggered, Kain activates his OB as he boosts past her.

********

"Report!" Captain Haldric shouts over the klaxons and alarms. "Phantasmal prototype has the attacking ACs pinned in hangar 37-C!" Someone shouts. "Security forces are still trying to find the package dropped by the-" The crewman's words turn into a scream as an explosion rips through the ship. Caught by surprise, Haldric barely manages to keep his seat as the bridge pitches. "Report!" The captain shouts again. "Explosion confirmed near the secondary reactor!"

"Detecting power fluxuations in the main engine! Repair crews on route to investigate!"

"Power surges in the primary power grid!"

"Engine output dropping! Seventy-Three percent and dropping!"

"Massive energy build-up in weapon grid!"

"Divert all power from weapons immediately!" Haldric shouts. "Shut down everything but the main guns! Shunt all available power to the engines and keep us afloat!"

"Engineering reports that the secondary fusion reactor is offline and leaking coolant!"

"Evacuate the section and lock it down!" Haldric orders. "Get the power grid under control and-" Another of the bridge crew screams out a warning. Looking up, Haldric catches a glimpse of a black form shooting by before the bridge explodes in a blazing inferno.

********

"Did we hit it?" Kain asks. "_Looks like it._" DK replies. "_But the hardpoint isn't responding anymore._" Kain grimaces. "Well you didn't have any better ideas."

"_At least the Klink Hammer was able to fold back before it went offline._" Climbing, Kain lands on top of the Arms Fort once more to recharge his condenser. "I don't remember aerial battles being this hard." He sighs tiredly. "Where's double trouble hiding?"

"_They fell back when the explosion rocked the boat. What was that anyways?_"

"I'm betting Val snuck some kind of bomb on board." Kain replies. "Where is she anyways?"

"_I've got co-ordinates from Diana. They're still pinned by some kind of MT._"

"Some kind?" Kain asks, turning and boosting towards the location on his radar. "_They're saying it's a massive MT._" Kain shrugs. "Can't be any worse then those two."

"_Look at the bright side._" DK tells him. "_The turrets have stopped firing._"

"But the damn thing's still flying." Kain replies sourly. "Still, clipping the claws is better then having them mess you up I guess."

********

"Someone report!" White Glint shouts. "_This doesn't bode well._" Aaliyah says. How could this happen, White Glint thinks frantically. As soon as they felt the explosion, White Glint knew the battle was lost. Thick black smoke pours out from several of the engines, though how the Sky Claw manages to stay aloft, she does not know. "Where is captain Haldric?" White Glint demands. "_This is lieutenant Baileys in auxiliary command._" A voice finally answers her. "_The bridge has been attacked by the Last Raven and is currently offline._"

"Damn him!" White Glint shouts, now clearly showing her anger. "How can we be defeated by one man?"

"_We were not defeated by one man._" Aaliyah replies. "_But by a force using desperate tactics and willing to risk their lives on insane gambits in order to defeat us._" White Glint sighs, and takes several deep breaths in order to get her anger under control. "Lieutenant. Recall all of our surviving forces. Order our rear reserves to secure our escape route.

"_The main guns are still functional and ready to fire._" Lieutenant Baileys tells them. "We can-" A small explosion emanates from one of the smoking engines. "We cannot lose the Sky Claw." White Glint tells him. "Perhaps we would still win the day, but the cost of losing this Arms Fort is intolerable. Moreover, the last Raven is still nearby. We cannot risk him further crippling the ship."

"_Then we simply let them leave?_" Aaliyah asks. "No." White Glint replies. "You and I will ensure the Sky Talon's escape by pursuing the Last Raven. There are still two squads of the Alliance BAT MTs in reserve. We will use these to pursue the Last Raven."

"_His death will at least bring us a small victory._" Aaliyah muses. "I have no intention of killing him." White Glint replies, her rage starting to boil over. "We will defeat him, capture him, and drag him before the Matriarch in chains so that she may pass judgement on him. The Last Raven will fall this day, even if I must give my own life for it!"


	26. Chapter 24

Chapter 24 – The Last Round

Ducking behind the remains of a loading crane, Valkyrie winces as the laser round hits the crane, and shears through the base, causing it to fall. Ahead of her, the Large MT's energy cannon arms begin to charge for another shot. "_Get out of there!_" Megan shouts as she fires at the MT from its left. Ignoring her small calibre rounds, the MT raises its arms up to fire. "_You call this a massive MT?_" Kain asks as he flies into the hangar behind the MT. Firing the KAWASARA, Kain hits the MT twice in the back, badly damaging one of its thrusters. "_This thing's barely huge!_"

"About time!" Valkyrie shouts at him. "_Hey!_" Kain shouts. "_You wanna deal with the two NEXTs next time?_" The MT starts to turn to face Kain, but the black AC keeps boosting around behind it, firing his KAWASARA. Finally, after about a dozen shots, both thrusters explode, and the MT starts to tilt dangerously. Seeing this, Valkyrie boosts forward, and slashes at the MT's underbelly with her laser blade. Meanwhile, Kain, from the other side, attacks with his own blade, dealing it several deadly slashes, one of which shears off part of the cylindrical head.

Boosting away from the MT as it falls, Valkyrie breathes a sigh of relief. "That was close. I'm out of ammo."

"_I have some rounds left._" Megan informs her. "E_nough for another short skirmish I think._"

"_Hopefully you won't need it._" Kain says. "_Between me taking out the bridge and whatever you guys set off in this thing, it looks like the Arms Fort is down for the count. Not permanently, but enough that we shouldn't have to worry about it until re-enforcements get here._"

"_ECM levels have also dropped to normal levels._" Diana joins in the conversation. "_However, the remaining Alliance forces are preparing to retreat. I suggest you escape the Sky Claw as soon as possible. I have uploaded a way point to your systems._"

"The Sky Claw?" Valkyrie asks. "_Your attack, though not as successful as we had originally planned, has done enough damage to the Arms Fort that I was able to break through some of the network security. This Arms Fort is named Sky Claw._"

"_You okay?_" Kain asks Diana. "_Your voice sounds, weird._"

"_I am well._" Diana replies. "_Please evacuate the area immediate._"

"What about the ground forces?" Valkyrie asks, suddenly remembering them. "They were pinned down by enemy-"

"_The ground forces that accompanied you onto the Arms Fort have already debarked._" Diana assures her. "_After the initial explosion, they were able to commandeer a small shuttle. They are already on route back to Mars Base._" Valkyrie breathes a sigh of relief. "That's, good. Alright, let's get out of here."

"_Before those two pains in my ass decide to come back for more._" Kain mumbles. "What?" Valkyrie exclaims. "You still haven't taken them out yet?"

"_Hey!_" Kain exclaims. "_I'm only one man in a souped-up AC! You try fighting the two of them at once, dodging all that damn cannon fire from the ship, and do a fly-by blow-up of a-_"

"_Enough Kain._" Megan tells him wearily. "_Please, let us just go._"

"_Seriously._" Kain grumbles as the trio boosts towards the hangar exit. "_Those two are freaking S-ranked pilots. I had a hard enough time trying to keep ahead of them more then anything else._"

"I just hope all the Order pilots aren't that good." Valkyrie says worriedly. Jumping out of the Hangar, she begins a booster-controlled fall towards the ground far below. "_Don't think so._" Kain says. "_From the way they talk, I get the feeling those two are elites of some sort. We should get Diana or Sumika to try and find out where the Order's hiding. I don't think they'd want their home base to be too close to a strong Alliance presence. Not with all the advanced tech they've got._"

"_Could they have really built the Arms Forts?_" Megan wonders. "They probably came up with the plans." Valkyrie replies after some thought. "But they needed Alliance's resources and funding to build them." Landing on the ground, Valkyrie waits for Megan and Kain to join her before boosting towards the way point Diana had sent them earlier. "The main thing is that Mars Base survived, and we gave them a bloody-"

"_Incoming missiles!_" DK shouts. Checking her radar, Valkyrie curses when she sees them suddenly appear. "_Watch out!_" Kain shouts. _Some of those have proximity triggers!_" Boosting forward, Valkyrie takes to the air and starts to jinx. Her action is partially successful: allowing her to dodge all but a few of the missiles. "Where'd they come from?"  
"_I'm going to put my credits on the two NEXTs and swarm of BATS coming our way._" Kain replies. Turning slightly, Valkyrie sees the group approaching, White Glint and the other black NEXT in the lead. "_We cannot fight them here!_" Megan says frantically. "_Keep going!_" Kain shouts at them as he stops. "_I'll hold them off!_"

"You can't handle that all by yourself!" Valkyrie tells him. "_I know! But I can slow them down long enough for you to get away. Don't forget, I'm the one with the souped-up AC. Now go!_"

********

"I knew this was too easy." Kain growls. Activating the FOXFIRE, Kain targets the closest BAT MT and fires. Did you get the klink online yet?"

"_Did we stop at a repair bay yet?_" DK retorts. Before Kain has a chance to reply, Anjou flies forward on her OB, cutting it as she gets close, and using her momentum to carry her the rest of the way to Kain, laser blade flashing. Slashing with his own laser blade, Kain deflects the attack, and follows it with a shot from the KAWASARA.

"What? No 'surrender or die' speech this time?" Kain asks over the general frequency. "Shit." Kain utters when he gets no answer, boosting away from Anjou as she starts to fire at him with her machinegun. "Looks like these two are really out to get us this time. Keep an eye on Megs and Val, and let me know as soon as they are clear of the combat zone." Coming up, White Glint fires another pair of missiles from her launchers. Quick boosting backwards, Kain starts to prepare for the evasion, when several BATs swoop down at him firing their lasers and missiles at him.

Cursing, Kain quickboosts to avoid the fire, and losses track of White Glint's missiles as they split apart. "_Look out!_" DK warns him. "I know!" Kain shouts activating the tracer rockets. Facing the oncoming swarm, Kain fires the tracers, and winces as the two opposing forces meet, creating a series of blinding explosions before him. "Get us back!" Kain shouts, his sight blinded by the mayhem before him. DK complies, boosting to the right and back from the explosions, firing the KAWASARA as she goes. "_We're almost out of rockets._" DK warns him. "_Definitely won't be able to do that again._" Kain grunts in acknowledgement, his vision now clear once more.

Taking aim at another BAT, Kain fires, taking it out with a shot from the KAWASARA as he continues to boost away from the NEXTs. "_Kain!_" Tina calls out on the Mars Base Frequency. "_Head to the way point now!_"

"Kinda busy right now!" Kain fires back. "_Just get there! Re-enforcements are waiting!_"

"On it!" Kain replies, punching the OB. Instead of turning away from the NEXTs though, Kain starts to boost right at them, forcing the two to quickboost aside as his OB fires and sends him hurtling right at them. "Those two don't give up." Kain says when he sees the two following on radar. "_Guess they want to take us in as a booby prize._" DK says. Shaking his head, Kain checks his radar as he turns, OB still active. "I just hope they don't, ah hell!"

Seeing the two NEXTs separate, Kain changes his direction slightly. Undaunted, White Glint continues to follow behind him as Anjou tries to move ahead to cut him off. Taking to the air, Kain cuts his OB, boosting backwards to slow himself down hard. Apparently anticipating his moves, White Glint, having followed him into the air, also slows down, managing to stay a short distance behind him as she fires missiles at him. "I hate smart pilots!" Kain exclaims, quickboosting forward as he drops towards the ground. Continuing to follow him, White Glint fires her rifles as the missiles split apart. Punching the OB, Kain closes his eyes until the booster fires, the missiles impacting against the ground where he had been a quarter of a second before.

"_Blade!_" DK shouts out suddenly as Anjou comes up ahead of them. "I see her damnit!" Kain shouts. "_Then why aren't you moving?_" DK demands frantically, her voice starting to get frantic. "Oh, I'm moving alright." He growls back, keeping his trajectory aimed straight at the black NEXT.

********

Firing her weapons, Aaliyah quickly realizes that the AC has no intention of stopping, and quickboosts aside at the last second, her primal armor sending feedback through her NEXT's systems as it grazes the AC's strange energy shield. "Is he mad?" Aaliyah exclaims, turning and activating her OB. "_He certainly has little regard for his own life._" White Glint says as she catches up to her. Her OB firing, Aaliyah gives chase, the last Raven now out of range of her weapons.

"We must finish this soon." Aaliyah warns White Glint. "Before Outer Heaven re-enforcements manage to arrive."

"_I know!_" White Glint snaps angrily. She is letting her emotions get to her, Aaliyah think, more then a little surprised. Who is this Raven, to have gotten under her skin so? Thinking about it, Aaliyah almost wishes they could have a chance to meet the man who has caused the Order so much trouble since the beginning of the new offensive. The thought it short lived though, when she sees that the Last Raven has suddenly stopped. "_We have him now!_" White Glint exclaims. Ahead of her, Aaliyah spots the canyon that the Last Raven has dropped into, and catches a glimpse of something moving around near the rim on the opposite side of their approach. "Wait!" Aaliyah shouts out the warning. "It's a trap!"

Whether White Glint did not hear her, or did not care to hear her, Aaliyah does not know. Nonetheless, as she cuts her OB, White Glint continues forward, taking to the air and flying towards the center of the canyon, where the Last Raven awaits.

********

"Time for the last round!" Kain calls out when he gets a visual of White Glint. "Let'em have it!" Firing at White Glint with his KAWASARA, Kain watches as the others appear on radar and come out of firing. Maya, Saru, Jerky, Jouster, Valkyrie, and Megan, now re-armed, come out of hiding and start bombarding the white NEXT with everything they have. "_Don't let her out of the canyon!_" Valkyrie shouts as they start firing. Caught by surprise as she lands, White Glint quickly tries to evade, but Kain cuts her off with several shots from the KAWASARA.

"_Black NEXT incoming!_" DK shouts out the warning. "Let me take her while you guys-" Anjou comes flying into the canyon, hitting Saru as she goes by with her blade. "_Raiden's down!_" Jerky calls out, frantically boosting aside to avoid Anjou's large blade. "I am really starting to hate these two!" Kain growls, activating the FOXFIRE. Sending a volley at Anjou, Kain puts one last round into White Glint before going after the other NEXT.

********

Quickboosting to avoid the strange laser weapon the Last Raven uses, Aaliyah turns her attention to another of the Normals as it comes at her. "Foolish." She declares, quickboosting towards the machine. Slashing wit her blade, Anjou is surprised when the reverse-jointed Normal boost hops over her attack, and slashes at her with its own over-sized blade. "Impressive." She admits, the blade passing through her primal armor and scoring a hit across the core.

Boosting backwards, Aaliyah outpaces the normal, and fires at it with her machinegun. Though the normal tries to use its dual-back chainguns, the large rounds from her HITMAN quickly make short work of it, the smoking AC dropping to the ground in a shower of sparks and small fires.  
"_That's it!_" The Last Raven shouts angrily. Turning, Aaliyah has no change to evade the Normal as it collides with her, its laser blade scoring a deep hit on her left arm. "We cannot win!" Aaliyah calls out to White Glint. "I will hold them here! Escape!"

"_Understood._" White Glint replies, her voice neutral, a bad sign from what she knows of the other pilot, and second of the four. Putting the thought aide, Aaliyah breaks away from the Last Raven, surprised that she hasn't received any feedback from the clash of their respective shields. Firing her HITMAN again, Aaliyah is surprised to see that his shield is down. Taking the risk, she activates her KAMAL sluggun, the barrel swinging down over her shoulder.

********

"_That's really going to hurt if it hits us!_" DK tells him worriedly. "I know." Kain replies, Zig-Zagging as he boosts towards Anjou. "Just get ready to turn the damn thing back on when I tell you to." Her weapon active, Anjou fires from the left shoulder, and Kain quickboosts to avoid the hail of slugs. Anticipating this, Anjou follows him with her machinegun, but is unable to stop his forward momentum. "Now!" Kain shouts as he crosses the edge of her primal armor and slashes with his laser blade in an upwards stroke.

Static criss-crosses the screens as the blade connects, the two armors once more sending feedback through Dark Knight's systems. Nonetheless, Kain catches glimpse of the damage, and of the NEXT also being affected by the feedback. "Hope they stuck to the plan." Kain grimaces, walking backwards from the NEXT when the boosters don't respond. Seconds alter, the screens come back online, and Kain catches sight of Albatross hammering at the black NEXT as it struggles to recover from the attack. "_I'm down dudes!_" Jerky calls out. "_We can't keep this up!_" Valkyrie calls out. "_Let them go if they try to run!_"

"What?" Kain exclaims, firing the KAWASARA as soon as the weapons come back online. "_That's an order!_" Valkyrie exclaims. "_White Glint is taking to the air!_" Megan shouts.

********

Hearing the blast of static and garbled words from Aaliyah, White Glint can only surmise that she too is in trouble. How do they keep defeating us, she wonders, her thoughts once more calm and collected. Inferior machines, but still, they bring us to the edge of destruction. Locking on with her missiles, White Glint fires a pair at the fast moving Hover Normal before taking to the air. Looking around, she sees Blade Gash being hammered upon by the last Raven and another Tank-legged Normal. "Retreat!" White Glint shouts at Aaliyah.

Taking aim at the heavy Normal, White Glint fires a barrage of rounds at it from both of her rifles as she quickboosts several times to avoid fire from the remaining two. Though her fires does not destroy the Normal, it drives it back, giving Aaliyah the chance she needs to fire several of her own missiles at the white Normal she knows to belong to the new Warlord. "Retreat Aaliyah! I will cover your escape!" White Glint orders. "_Understood._" The other Pilot replies. Looking back at the warlord's Normal, White Glint sees that it was unable to avoid all of the missiles, and though damaged, still functional. "Perhaps a consolation victory is in order." White Glint muses.

********

"_I'm fine!_" valkyrie shouts when she gets hit by Anjou's proximity missiles. "_Let the black one go!_" Following her order, Kain turns his attention to White Glint, and quickly realizes what she is going to do. "Get out of there Val! The bitch's gunning for you!" As he shouts out the warning, White Glint fires two missiles from her launchers at the Warlord. Cursing, Kain punches the OB as he boosts towards Swiftwind. "_Die!_" Maya shouts furiously as she sends more heavy weapons fire at the NEXT, the combined fire from several of her shots taking out the right flight pod.

Ignoring the exchange, Kain takes aim at one of the missiles, and fires the KAWASARA as fast as he can. The first shot goes wide, the second shot just misses, but the third strikes the missile as it starts to separate, destroying it. Unfortunately, Valkyrie is not so lucky, and tries to backpedal as the missile splits, the smaller projectiles flying at her with deadly speed. Hits OB finally kicking in, Kain goes shooting forward as he cuts it, and manages to reach Swiftwind as the missiles reach her.

Blinding briefly by the explosion, Kain sees Val's AC drop to one knee as his vision clears. "_We're good!_" DK calls out. "That was too close." Kain growls, turning towards White Glint, only to see her boosting away from them. "Let'em go." Kain says reluctantly before turning his attention back to Valkyrie. "You okay in there boss?"

"_Don't, you dare, start calling me boss._" Valkyrie growls. Hearing her voice, Kain breaths a sigh of relief. "Just making sure you're with us."

"_I'll need a few days._" Valkyrie grunts in pain. "_But I think I'm fine._"

"_Tina says that the rest of the Alliance forces have pulled back._" DK reports. "_And the Sky Claw has begun its retreat. Looks like we, oh shit! Incoming!_" Before Kain has a chance to spot the threat, his screens go white, and the core is rocked by a powerful explosion, the force of which rams his head into his chair, knocking him out.

********

"Who ordered that attack?" White Glint demands when she gets in contact with the Sky Claw. Already from a distance, White Glint can see secondary explosions ripping through parts of the Arms Fort's underbelly as a result of her main guns firing. "I demand to know who gave the order to fire!" White Glint shouts. When she still gets no response, White Glint checks her comm., and sees that it is being blocked. Frowning, she starts to try and break through the block, when she spots a new contact on her radar coming from the canyon she is fleeing from.

Too slow for it to be him, she thinks. Checking her NEXT's systems, she sees that the her engine is producing low amounts of Kojima particles, too low to make her Primal Armor effective or use her Overed Boost, even if both flight pods had still been operational. Sensors are also damage, and though she is critically low on munitions, all her weapons are ready for battle. "AP at thirty-five percent." She reads, then stops and spins her AC around to face the oncoming foe. "More then enough to deal with a Normal. Come then, let us do battle."


	27. Chapter 25

Chapter 25 – Angel Falls

Groaning, Kain comes to with a splitting headache. Gingerly, he gives his head a shake, and feels his helmet wiggle loosely on his head. "Wonderful." He mutters, taking it off. Blinking, he sees that the screens around him are online, and showing Dark Knight face down in the dirt. By his head, Swiftwind is in pieces, the legs blown off completely, the head split down the middle. "Anyone still alive?" Kain calls out. "_I'm going to need a lot of TLC when we get back._" DK says. "Anyone besides my AC which I know is still working." Kain calls out again. "H_ey!_" DK exclaims.

"_I'm like, still alive man._" Jerky says. "_Saru's okay too, I think. He's like, waving at me._"

"_I'm still online, just barely._" Maya calls in. "Val? Jouster?" Kain calls out worriedly. "Megan? Amazon, do you read me?"

"_She's not here._" Maya tells him. "_I saw her activate her OB just before we were hit._"

"_What hit us?_" Jerky asks. "_Fire from the Arms Fort._" Maya replies. "_The main guns by the size of the crater near me._"

"Damnit." Kain curses. "DK, can you get ahold of Mars Base? We need medical extraction."

"_Tina already sent some before we got hit._" DK replies testily. "Good." Kain nods. "How are we doing?"

"_We weren't near any of the strikes, so the HEP shield soaked up the worst of the damage._"

"Good." Kain grunts. "Cause we got to go after Amazon."

"_You're kidding._" DK says flatly. "_There's no way she would have-_"

"What direction did she boost in?" Kain asks Maya. "_Towards the Arms Fort._" Maya replies. "_Fantastic._" DK growls. "_As if we haven't seen enough action for one night._" Looking around, Kain realizes that the sun is starting to rise. "Damn." He mutters. "Been a long night too." DK raises her shell up to its feet. As she does so, Kain catches sight of Swiftwind's core hatch open, Valkyrie's hand waving weakly at him. "Val's conscious." Kain tells the others. "Someone get over here and check on her. Check on Jouster too while your at it, not that I think the old fart's dead yet."

"_Who are you calling an old fart?_" Jouster asks weakly. "About time." Kain snorts. "_Comm got busted._" He explains. "_Had to hotwire it. Doesn't look like I'm walking home today._"

"_But you are going home._" Maya tells him firmly. "_Oh yeah._" Jouster assures her. "_Not that bad off, but I'm pretty banged up._"

"Help's on the way." Kain tells him. "I'm going after Megan. I think she went to try and finish White Glint off. She didn't use her OB to get away, so she must have been banged up pretty bad."

"_You be careful out there._" Jouster warns him. "Don't worry." Kain assures him. "I'm not getting my ticket punched anytime soon."

********

Boosting towards the Arms Fort, Kain is surprised by the amount of debris and damage littering the ground so far from Mars Base. "Where'd all this come from?" Kain asks. "_Looks like some of this stuff could have been blown off the Sky Claw._" DK replies after a quick check. "_I can't confirm it, but it looks like when the fired the main guns, they suffered some kind of internal damage. Diana's bomb must have done a lot more damage then we originally thought._"

"Not enough." Kain grimaces. "The damn this is still-" A flash is all Kain has to warn him to quickboost out of the way from a grouping of laser bolts that comes shooting at him. "_Incoming NEXT!_" DK warn him. "You're just noticing it now?" Kain demands. "_It came out of nowhere!_" DK retorts. "_Literally! One second, the grid was empty, and the next, POW!_"

"POW?" Kain asks, arching an eyebrow. "_You know._" DK insists. "Whatever. We don't have time for this shit. We got to find Megan before she does something even stupider."

"_Mars Base's radar array is back online. Synching with it now._" Nodding, Kain starts strafing to avoid more laser fire from the NEXT. In the distance, Kain spots the machine, but frowns when it keeps him at a distance. "Doesn't want to engage." Kain mutters. "Must be trying to stall."

"_Got her._" DK declares, then adds. "_Oh shit._"

"That's not a good oh shit." Kain accuses, stopping Dark Knight. "_Picking up a distress beacon from Choir Riot due east of here. Wow, she really went off track. Oh shit._"

"Again with the oh shit?" Kain growls, quick boosting once to avoid another volley of laser fire. "Don't you have any good hell yeahs or something?"

"_They're picking up an Alliance recovery team en-route to Choir Riot's location. I'm also seeing another energy signature, it could be White Glint._"

"Oh shit." Kain curses. "Maybe they took each other out. Either way, we got to-" Kain barely avoids a near miss from the NEXT, the enemy machine finally coming towards them. "_Wait!_" DK says. "_Both signatures are moving east. It looks like Megan's still online._" Kain lets out a sigh of relief. "Good. Alright, give me an intercept course and let's go." A moving waypoint appears on the map. Turning towards it, Kain activates the OB, for the most part, ignoring the NEXT as he leaves it behind.

********

A few minutes later, Kain is checking his radar for signs of the Megan or the Alliance recovery team, when his AC is rocked by a hit from behind. "What the?" Kain exclaims, quick boosting to the right. As he boosts aside, he sees a half dozen beams of energy shoot by where he had been moments before. "Persistent little bastard." He growls, cutting his boost and spinning around to face the NEXT that has suddenly appears on his radar. Seeing it approach, Kain is not impressed. "You've got to be kidding me." He says flatly.

The NEXT that approaches is a light purple, with undertones of pink and lime green. Reverse-jointed, the NEXT appears to be a lightweight craft, its arms ending in a tri-barreled weapon with a shield-like plate over top that Kain assumes is a shotgun. Over each shoulder, a set of three large cannons swing up and back, forming a pair of wings. "Who in their right mind would pilot that?" Kain asks. "_I wouldn't be caught dead in it._" DK replies.

"_Stop right there!_" A young girl's voice shouts over the general frequency. "Excuse me?" Kain asks. "_Stop right where you are evil, uh, Normal-thingy!_"

"Okay, seriously." Kain says. "Tell me you are not the pilot of the NEXT with the really bad paint job."

"_What's wrong with my Seraphim's color scheme?_" She demands. "_It looks cool!_"

"Is this for real?" Kain asks, cutting the mic at his end. "_Transmissions are coming from the NEXT._" DK says hesitantly. Shaking his head, Kain turns his mic back on. "Alright kid, I got to know: How old are you?"

"_I'm twelve._" She replies proudly. "Twelve and piloting?" Kain asks. "Damn, the Order must really be hard up for pilots. "_Hey!_" The girl exclaims. "_That's not nice!_"

"I'm not a nice guy." Kain replies dryly. "And I'm not in the mood to babysit, so get lost kid."

"_No way!_" The girl replies. "_You're going to try and hurt my lord!_"

"_You know._" DK says. "_I think it's kind of impressive that they got someone so young piloting a NEXT. I mean, you have to be good, right?_"

"_Oh yeah!_" The girl agrees. "_My lord says I'm doing really good, and when I turn sixteen, I might even be able to join the elite pilots and, hey wait a minute! You're trying to trick me!_" The NEXT's wings come back over its shoulders, forming a double row of three cannon. "_I won't let you hurt my lord!_" She tells them. "_So go away! Shoo! Shoo!_"

"I'm going out on a limb, and guessing White Glint's your lord." Kain says. "_That should have been obvious._" The girl replies matter-of-factly. "Think about this." Kain tells her. "White Glint hasn't gotten close to kicking my ass. What makes you think you're going to beat me?"

The girl replies by firing her cannons, six beams of energy shooting at Kain. Anticipating that the NEXT would take the first shot, Kain is already on the move by the time the rounds reach him. Boosting after him, the girl fires another salvo. "You're supposed to introduce yourself before you start shooting kid!" Kain tells her. "_Oh!_" The girl says in surprise, her wings folding back. "_I'm Angel, pilot of Seraphim, the coolest NEXT around!_"

"_You are so not cooler then me._" DK tells her, Kain firing the KAWASARA. "_Am to!_" Angel replies, avoiding the energy round and firing her weapon arms, a hail of large pellets slamming into the HEP shield. Grunting as a number of the round break through the shield and strike the AC, Kain is once more made keenly aware of how low his AP has dropped to over the last few hours. "_Not on your life kid!_" DK retorts. "_No one takes an all black paint job seriously!_" Angel tells her, the youth boosting into the air and raining more shotgun rounds down on them. Cursing, Kain quickboosts asides, activating the FOXFIRE.

"_What did you just say?_" DK demands angrily. "_You heard me you old hag!_" Angel replies. "_Old hag?_" DK splutters angrily. "Focus!" Darius tells the AI. Locking on with the FOXFIRE, Kain fires a salvo at the NEXT as it continues to boost through the air. Angel drops, avoiding some of the rounds, turning to face Kain as she activates both cannons once more. Seeing this, Kain boosts forward, and slashes at the NEXT with his laser blade, the weapon penetrating the primal armor and scoring a hit. Angel tries to fire her cannons in retaliation, but Kain boosts around the NEXT, avoid the rounds and firing off a pair of shots from the KAWASARA in retaliation.

"_Stand still!_" Angel orders them. "Are you kidding?" Kain asks her angrily. "You think this is some damn game you stupid runt?" Kain accentuates his words with another salvo from the FOXFIRE that hits Angel as she tries to take to the air. "_You and that old hag are going to wish this was a game by the time I'm done with you!_" Angel declares. "_Who are you calling an old hag?_" DK demands angrily. "_Let me at that little-_"

"Enough!" Kain shouts. Tracking the airborne NEXT with his KAWASARA, Kain fires a few more rounds from the weapon, hitting Angel in the legs. The cannons dropping down behind her back, Angel turns as she lands to face Kain. Seeing this, Kain boosts away from her, firing his KAWASARA. Dodging the rounds, Angel tries to close in with him, But Kain keeps her at range, firing salvos of FOXFIRE rounds as he goes. Changing tactics, Angel backs away from Kain, activating her laser cannons. Seeing this, Kain activates his OB, and sends himself flying forward for a few seconds before disengaging the boost

Flying at the young girl, kain lashes out with his laser blade, striking angel through her Primal armor before straffing to the right and attacking again with his moonlight. "_Stop it!_" Angel cries out, a hint of fear in her voice. Ignoring her, Kain continues the attack, staying close to Angel as he pelts her with KAWASARA rounds and slashes from his laser blade. "_I give up!_" Angel cries, her NEXT dropping to one knee, her primal armor going offline. Seeing this, Kain boosts in front of the NEXT, and puts the KAWSARA to its head. "You give up?" Kain demands. "I ought to blow you to hell!" To emphasize the point, kain fires around into the NEXT's head, Angel letting out a small scream of fear. "You give up, and you're dead." He tells the kid.

"_But, but. . ._"

"No buts!" Kain tells her. "You wanna be a Raven, then you better be ready to fight to the death."

"_Then just to it and get it over with!_" Angel tells him bravely. "Meh." Kain says dismissively. "I got bigger fish to fry right now. Get lost kid, or next time I will finish you off." With that, Kain goes around andgel and starts boosting towards his real target. "And get a real damn paint job!" He shouts. "This isn't the damn circus!"

********

A short time later, Kain spots the first tell-tale signs of battle between Megan and White Glint. Cresting a hill, he starts when he sees a group of MTs trying to load damaged AC parts onto several transports. "Hand s off!" Kain shouts, taking aim with the KAWASARA at the nearest MT. The OSTRICH explodes as the energy round hits it, taking it out. Seeing him, the rest of the scavengers try to flee, the MTs, firing at Kain as the transports start to make their escape. Undaunted, Kain boosts down the hill, disabling the transports and destroying MTs methodically. "Any sign of her?" kain asks. "_Nothing._" DK says, then suddenly shouts. "_Stop!_"

Kain brings Dark Knight to a stop as quickly as he can. "_You just stepped on the distress beacon._" DK tells him. "_It wasn't attached to the core._" She quickly adds when Kain hastily backs up. "Don't fucking do that!" Kain shouts as her. "If we just stepped on the distress beacon, where's the core it was supposed to be attached to?"

"_I'm looking._" DK tells him. Shaking his head, Kain quickly busies himself with the destruction of the remaining MTs and disabling the transports that look like they were carrying parts of Choir Riot. "_Megan's not here._" DK reports as the last of the salvagers escape from the immediate area. "_I'm not detecting her suit's homing signal._"

"What about her core?" Kain asks worriedly. "_We just stepped on the beacon._" DK reminds him. "_She wasn't with those scavengers. Short range would have picked up the Outer Heaven marker._"

"Then where the hell is she?" Kain demands. "_I don't know!_" DK tells him. Slamming his fist on his seat, Kain curses under his breath. "The Order." He says angrily. "White Glint must have picked her up after taking her out."

"_Diana's on route with a stork._" DK informs him. "_Guess we'll know for sure in a bit._"

********

"_It looks like DK's assumption was correct._" Diana says, her voice coming through one of her robots as it comes walking towards Kain. After the STORK had landed, Kain was surprised to see one of Diana's robots, and several AI driven MTs, come out of the transport. As soon as they were unloaded, the MTs began to move about the area examining the debris. While this was going on, Kain had gotten out of his AC, taking the opportunity to stretch.

"_Despite being stepped on._" Diana continues. "_There was enough residual damage to indicate that the beacon was blown off the core during battle. I've also found a number of parts from Choirriot's core. Internal parts._"

"Blood?" Kain asks, a heavy weight settling on his chest. "_None that I can find._" Megan replies. "D we have any idea what the hell happened to Megan?" Kain asks angrily, his rage spontaneous. "_Nothing yet._" Diana admits. "_I am checking sensor logs to see if we can track White Glint, but, it is safe to assume that Megan's core was salvaged._" There is a slight pause before she continues. "_I do not-_"

"She's alive." Kain interrupts her. "I'm sure of it. White wouldn't have taken the core with her if Megan was dead. Might be hurt, but she's still alive."

"_You can't assume that._" Diana tells him. "Well what else am I supposed to do?" Kain asks angrily, glaring at the humanoid machine before him. "The Sky Claw's linked up with their rear guard, and Dark Knight needs repairs! What the hell else am I supposed to do?"

"_I'm sorry._" Diana tells him. "_But for the moment, there's nothing to do._" Kain sighs. "I know." He admits. "You almost done here?"

"_We'll need another ten minutes or so. There's beer in the STORK._"

"Good." Kain grutnts. Pushing past the robot, Kain makes his way towards the STORK's large ramp. "_I hope he doesn't try anything crazy._" DK says, linking with the robot via the AC's one-to-one. "_I thought he took it rather well._" Diana remarks. "_Trust me._" DK tells her. "_He is not taking it well. He's just too tired to do anything about it right now._"

"_Regardless._" Diana says. "_There is nothing to do. Alliance forces are retreating, and we do not have enough resources to mount a rescue, or recovery, mission. All we can do is hope that Megan is alright._"


	28. Chapter 26

Chapter 26 – At the End of Battle

Stepping off the repair bay lift, White Glint looks around furiously. "I will kill whoever was idiotically foolish enough to-"

"My lord!" A young voice cries out happily. Turning towards the source, White Glint barely has time to register the small form that collides with her, embracing her fiercely. "I was so worried!" The small person cries. Sighing, White Glint pats the young girl on the head. "At ease Sally. I am well." The young girl nods, her long pink hair tied separately into two pigtails at the back of her head. No more then twelve, the young girl is barely four feet, her flight suit white with blue accents, her flight helmet, conspicuously absent, is also white, bearing a pair of feathery wing ornaments on the side.

"What are you doing here?" White Glint asks Sally, pushing the girl back so that she is arm's length from her. "I left strict instructions for you to remain with the vanguard."

"We came forward when you sounded the retreat my lord." Sally replies. "My lady." White Glint corrects her. "And even when we called forward the vanguard, you were not supposed to move to the front, much less engage the Last Raven." Sally frowns. "But Maryl said that-"

"Maryl?" White Glint demands. "You know you are not supposed to listen to that, that!" Sally cringes fearfully. "But I'm not supposed to disobey a direct order from a superior!" Sally whines fearfully. "You told me so!" White Glint growls slightly under her breath. "I will deal with her later. From now on, you do not follow any orders that miserable-"

"Calling me names?" Maryl asks as she approaches. Glaring at the other woman through her visor, White Glint clenches her jaw in an effort not to explode at the woman. "I thought you were, better, then that." A few inches taller then White Glint, Maryl, third of the four, is a gorgeous woman, with long black hair, soft brown eyes, and a figure that has driven many insane with lust. But behind the warm brown eyes, White Glint knows there is a vicious mind capable and more then willing to do whatever it has to in order to succeed. Currently, Maryl wears the lower half of her green and black flight suit, her upper body covered by a tank-top. Seeing her nipples poking at the fabric, White Glint can tell that she is without a bra, or any sense of decency.

"Only you would have been so stupid!" White Glint accuses. "I did what had to be done." Maryl replies. "What you should have done while you had the chance. Instead, you let that miserable man walk over you, and the Order!"

"As if your idiotic actions fared any better!" White Glint shouts. Letting out a terrified squeak, Sally quickly steps away from her mentor as White Glint takes a step forward, arm raised to slap Maryl.

"Enough!" Aaliyah shouts, coming up behind White Glint and grabbing her wrist. "You are the second: Act like it." Gritting her teeth, White Glint pulls her hand free from Aaliyah's grasp, and steps back from Maryl. "How shameful." Maryl says, a slight smile on her face. "I wouldn't be so quick to judge." Aaliyah tells her, brushing aside a few strands of her brown, shoulder-length bangs from her face. "Your actions nearly cost us the Sky Claw. The matriarch has summoned us. Report to the upper balcony conference room."

A brief look of rage passes over Maryl's face, gone almost as quickly as it had appeared. "As you command." She says coolly before turning and walking towards the Hangar's exit. "As for you." Aaliyah turns her steely blue gaze to White Glint. "The battle has ended." Wordlessly, White Glint removes her helmet, revealing a pretty face framed in long white hair she frees from a large bundle at the nape of her neck, pale light blue eyes, and even paler, ivory white skin. "The Matriarch will not be pleased." Aaliyah continues. "Nor am I: You let your emotions get in the way of your judgment, and it almost cost you your life at the hands of the Outer Heaven Normals. You know better then this White."

White Glint averts her gaze from Aaliyah, partially in shame, and partially in anger. "We'll deal with that later. As for you little one." Sally let's out a small squeak when Aaliyah turns her attention to her. "What were you doing out there? And how did you survive your encounter with the Last Raven?"

"Maryl ordered her move to the front and support me." White Glint tells her. "Against the orders I had left earlier." Aaliyah nods. "I see. And your escape?"

"He, let me go." Sally explains. "He was so in a rush to do something. When I stopped fighting him, he just left." Aaliyah sighs. "So he left you there. Not the greatest of marks to add to your record, but in this case, you survived: Something you wouldn't have done if he had decided to fight to the end." Sally vigorously nods her head in agreement. "You will not engage the Last Raven without White Glint or myself ever again. Understood?"

"Totally!" Sally agrees. "Alright." Aaliyah nods. "The Matriarch awaits." The three make their way towards the hangar exit, Aaliyah in the lead, Sally beside White Glint, taking her right arm. Sighing, White glint debates admonishing the girl for her action, but decides against it. "Are you okay my lord?" Sally asks her. "I am merely tired." She sighs. "And it is my lady, not my lord." Sally giggles at the last part. "You know the only reason she does that is because you react to it." Aaliyah says over her shoulder. White Glint scowls at no one in particular, wishing feverently that the night would end and she would be allowed to go back to her quarters and sleep.

Exiting the hangar, the two make their way to a moderately size room dominated by a large rectangular table. At the other end of the room is a large screen, currently dominated by the order's symbol. "_I am, disappointed._" The Matriach states once they have entered and the door closes. "_With this sunrise, was to come a sweeping victory that would have put our forces on the road to total control of this continent, yet here we stand, licking our wounds in defeat._"

"Matriach, I-" White Glint starts t say but is cut off by an angry shout. "_Sit and be silent child!_" She orders. "_All of you!_" The three hastily take seats at the table near the screen, White Glint and Sally on one side, Aaliyah on the other.

"_The battle has been lost._" The Matriarch says. "_But the reasons are many, and only a few can be placed at the feet of the Last Raven and his cadre._"

"The fact that they were able to withstand a non-stop nighttime assault while vastly outnumbered is quite remarkable." Aaliyah says. "Their defenses, and the organization of their ground forces left them well entrenched. The targeting countermeasures they had also proved to be a deciding factor."

"Without the Sky Claw's weapons, a direct assault was unavoidable." White Glint finishes. "_And had it not occurred to you to simply bombard the region with fire until you struck the facility?_" The Matriarch asks. "It had." White Glint replies. "But doing so would have put us on the defensive. The attack against the Spirit of Motherwill showed that though their machines are inferior, a small force of Normals, particularly one led by the Last Raven, could have done substantial damage to the Sky Claw. By deploying an assault force, my hope was to keep the Last Raven in check until we could either capture the Mars Base, or disable the jamming equipment preventing the Sky Claw from accurately targeting."

"_Yes, that worked quite well._" Maryl voice says snidely through the speakers. "_Be silent! You Maryl, of all the players in this battle, are the one I am most disappointed in. Your petty need for revenge had nearly cost us the Arms Fort._"

"_And if she had fired the main guns when she had the chance, we would not be here!_" Maryl retaliates. "_At least I didn't show cowardice in the face of battle!_"

"The risk was not worth the reward!" White Glint counters angrily. "The primary and secondary power grids were damaged: Most of the defensive weaponry was offline and both myself and Aaliyah were near our limits. All signs indicated that firing the main guns could result in further damage to the power grid, which would have resulted in potentially losing all flight capability!"

"On the subject of the main guns." Aaliyah speaks up. "I am curious Maryl, why you fired them at the Last Raven, and not at Mars Base. I checked the data when I got back, and you had optimal firing solutions for both."

"_Then you received more complete data._" Maryl counters. "_The gunners I dealt with told me they no longer had a firing solution on the base._"

"I'm quite sure." White Glint says flatly. "_Enough._" The Matriarch orders them. "_This petty rivalry is no longer amusing. I will deal with you Maryl shortly. Not only had you acted foolishly in giving the order to fire, but sending the child to face the Last Raven, particularly one as important as Angel, is beyond reproach. Were there another to take your place, you would be of the four no longer. I will speak with you later._"

"_Yes Matriarch._" Maryl says quietly. "_You, White Glint._" The Matriarch continues. "_Are not without fault in this either. Were it not for the same reason I have just given the third, you would be fourth now._" White Glint winces at the Matriarch's words. "_Your handling of this situation, and of the Last Raven, has brought into question your judgment. In the last several hours, I have seen a side of you I had thought purged during your training. I am disappointed._"

"Yes Matriarch." White Glint says, bowing her head slightly. "I have no excuse for my actions."

"_Your punishment will come at a later time._" The Matriarch continues. "_First, we will see if the prize you had brought back is worth any merit. Until then, you are to take command of the Sky Claw, and Return to the Scissor Forest Facility. There you will moor until repairs are completed. Take this time to reflect upon your mistakes this night. Now go._" White Glint nods, and gets to her feet, Sally following her out of the room. "White Glint isn't completely to blame for this loss." Aaliyah says once they are gone. "Mars Base put up a level of resistance not even I had expected, and much of it was not in part of the Last Raven."

"_Agreed. These changes the Outer Heaven have been going through are too convenient. I suspect that they have an ally, one with intimate knowledge of our own technology._"

"No one here would betray the Order." Aaliyah objects, frowning. "_I did not say that this ally came from within our ranks. No, there is something else afoot here. We must proceed cautiously until we can learn more._"

"I would like you to return through the gate Matriarch." Aaliyah says. "After tonight, I expect Outer Heaven will want to retaliate, and if they do have knowledge of our inner workings, they may try to attack you directly." There is a long pause before the Matriarch speaks. "_Your suggestion is a sensible one my child. I will consider it. However, for the moment, I am needed here. Watch her closely Aaliyah._"

"Maryl?" Aaliyah asks, confused. "_White Glint._" The Matriarch replies. "_She hides something from us, something that has brought her to an inner conflict._"

"Do you think she might. . ." Aaliyah asks hesitantly. "_Her loyalties lie with the Order._" The Matriarch assures her. "_Though her actions may not be in our best interest._" Aaliyah nods. "I understand. I'll talk to her. She's opened up to me in the past. But, what if she really-"

"_Should that scenario come to pass, I will pass judgment on her. Until such a time comes, do what you must to ensure that our two pawns remain on the paths set before them._"

"As you wish Matriarch."

********

"Are you okay my lord?" Sally asks once they are out of the conference room. "It has been a very difficult operation." White Glint replies. Taking off her gloves, she takes a moment to run a hand through her hair, and let out a deep sigh. "I'll bet." Sally agrees. "That Last Raven guy really kicks butt. He should be on our side."

"Yes, he should." White Glint replies absently. "I am returning to my quarters. Go fetch me a meal."

"Yes my lord!" sally replies enthusiastically, saluting before she turns and runs off. "I must do something about her." White Glint mutters under her breath, shaking her head at the young girl. Quickening her pace, White Glint makes her way to her quarters aboard the Sky Claw. Once there, she contacts the secondary bridge.  
"_Ma'am!_" Lieutenant Baileys greets her when he answer. "Status of the Sky Claw?" White Glint asks as she sits down. "_Bad shape, but we should make it back to Scissor Forest by noon tomorrow. We can't risk pushing the engines anymore then that._"

"No signs of pursuit or retaliation from EUG forces?"

"_We had a few planes buzz us from a distance, but we've managed to get some of the defensive weapons back online. Unless they come at us with a large force I doubt they'll bother us. All Outer Heaven forces have pulled back to their base._" There is a brief pause as the lieutenant takes a moment to read something. "_Reports from the field indicate that EUG forces have arrived to re-enforce the base and provide relief. Other then that, we're not seeing any kind of activity from Mars Base to indicate what they're up to.._"

"What about the splinter force I encounter during my escape? Where they indeed Alliance forces?"

"_Still no word back on that on ma'am. But General Batten is also looking into the matter. Initial reports indicate that there no other forces operating in the area besides us._"

"Send a message to the General once we reach our destination requesting a meeting."

"_Will do ma'am. Oh, I thought you'd also like to know that the captain's going to pull through._"

White Glint frowns. "The captain?" She asks. "_Yes ma'am. Captain Haldric just got out of surgery. He suffered some internal bleeding and a collapsed lung along with the burns, but the medics say he'll pull through._"

"I was not aware he had survived." White glint admits, surprised. "All the better. Every ship needs a captain. Inform me when he awakens. That will be all for now." The lieutenant salutes as White Glint closes the comm. at her end. Sighing, she pillows her head on her arms and closes her eyes, sleep quickly overcoming her.

********

The canteen is empty, a surprising fact given the activity around the base. Sitting alone, Kain nurses a half-finished bottle of beer, staring at the dark glass as though it might somehow hold the secrets to the universe itself. At the otherside of the room, the door slides open silently, Valkyrie poking her head in to look around. Seeing him sitting there, she enters the canteen. "You okay?" She asks when she gets to the table.

Picking up the bottle, Kain finishes off the bottle, and with a bellowing howl of rage, flings the bottle at the wall where it shatters, the pieces dropping to the floor to join the other bottles who have met a similar fate.

"What the hell was she thinking?" Kain roars. "Of all the stupid shit to pull, she just had to go after that damn bitch!" Kain slams his fist against the table angrily. "We'll get her back." Valkyrie tries to assure him. "Don't." Kain warns her, pointing angrily at her. "You know as well as I do, that if Alliance Tactical got a hold of her, she'd be better off dead. AT never followed any of those wartime conventions unless it suited them, and you know it."

"Yeah, I do." Valkyrie admits. "But it's also possible that she's in the hands of the Order. Whatever they're up to, they seem to follow the conventions." Sitting back down, Kain reaches under the table and takes another bottle out of the box by his chair, carefully place out of immediate kicking range Valkyrie notes. "What the hell was she fucking thinking?" Kain asks again. "Probably that she had something to prove." Valkyrie replies. "Like what?" Kain demands angrily.

"You really are an idiot sometimes." Valkyrie tells him, going around the table and taking a seat across from him. "Megan is married to the Last Raven. Even if she doesn't have anything to prove to you, she's still got to prove herself to the rest of the world."

"Bullshit." Kain growls. "There's a lot we haven't told you." Valkyrie continues. "You don't want to know how many death threats and she got in the last two years. The second you two tied the knot, she put a big red target on her chest, and she had to prove to the world that they couldn't mess with her." Kain surges to his feet, and hurls the un-opened bottle against the wall. "Why did you think everyone was hoping you and Diana would become a couple once she got better?" Valkyrie asks quietly.

"Surprised the old man didn't try to get you to fill the slot again." Kain says angrily. "I wanted to." Valkyrie admits quietly, surprising Kain. "For awhile I really did. But then I realized that I'd never be able to be the warlord, and your lover. And I knew you wouldn't like me if I was both either." Wordlessly, Kain sits back down, and runs his hands over his face. "There has to be more to it then that." Kain says after a bit. "Megan may have had an axe to grind, but not even she could have been stupid enough to go after White Glint for that."

Valkyrie shifts uncomfortably at his words. "You know something don't you?" Kain asks, catching the movement. "Not really." Valkyrie replies. "Sumika's trying to track down leads on that Alliance recovery team you ran into, but right now, our best intel says that Megan's on the Sky Claw. Go get some sleep, you've been up more then twenty-four hours already."

"What about the others?" Kain asks. "Jouster's going to be sharing a corner with Midas for a few days. The rookies made it out okay for the most part."

"Thought you were pretty banged up too?" Valkyrie smirks. "Like I got time to lie around right now. Don't worry though, I'm all bandaged up. UEG's move more forces into the area, but it looks like the Sky Claw, that Arms Fort if you hadn't heard, is heading back to Scissor Forest for repairs."

"So that's it?" Kain asks. "We almost get our asses kicked, and they get away with my wife?"

"That's the war we're fighting." Valkyrie tells him, getting to her feet. "Sometimes, it sucks." Valkyrie takes her leave of the canteen. Stepping out into the hallway, she stops when she notices someone standing off to the side. "So you've been keeping him liquored up?" She asks the person. "I thought it would be better then having him roam around making trouble. He was really pissed when he got in." Valkyrie nods. "I always figured you were still hanging around somewhere."

"A mother should always be there for her kids." The woman replies. "And I haven't been just hanging around."

"If the warlord had known-" Valkyrie begins. "It was the warlord who asked me to come back." She cuts in. "But obviously, you don't want to hear about that right now. We'll talk again, if you ever want to." With that, the woman turns and walks down the hallway away from Valkyrie. Watching her go, Valkyrie shakes her head and sighs. "Great. Just what I don't need right now."


End file.
